A Dangerous Game
by Lex Noctis
Summary: When Aria decides to seduce Jane Shepard she unwittingly steps onto a treacherous playing field. The Commander turns out to be a far more intimidating opponent and all the other players are not what they seem. Turn about is fair game after all.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **A Dangerous Game.

**Fandom:** Mass Effect.

**Spoilers:** Takes place during and after ME3.

**Pairings:** Femshep/Miranda, Femshep/Aria, both Miranda and Shepard have submissive partners - Liara, Samantha and Kasumi.

**Warnings:** Use of futuristic sex toys, strap-ons, D/s, bondage, orgasm denial, masturbation, blowjobs, anal, group sex, humiliation. Possible death of minor characters later on.

**AN:** So yeah, this is a story about "what if a renegade Shepard went much further then possible in the games?" Basically this Femshep was paragon during ME, but throughout ME2 she was completely disillusioned about the galaxy, Alliance, Council, all the races. Oh, and turns out she's an irresistible dominatrix and keeps several willing slaves. Aria is in so much trouble! This story follows most of the same major events of ME story, but differs greatly in details, motivations and character interactions.

* * *

**A Dangerous Game**

Chapter I

"_...sliding out of that pretentious human armor. Like anyone in the galaxy cares about human accomplishments! N7? Pfft! Still her body should be toned and muscular... Maybe even some scars?"_

Purple lips started to form a predatory smile that immediately turned into disgusted grimace.

"Dammit!" the purple skinned asari cursed loudly prompting a few wary glances from her bodyguards. She did not bother to notice. Leather clad hand slammed still half full glass of Serrice Ice on the table. "For fuck's sake not this again..." she continued under her breath this time.

Aria T'Loak was furious. It was the fifth time she found herself thinking about Shepard. And not in a sense of a useful tool to progress her own plans, oh, and save the whole galaxy from annihilation, but that was definitely not as important as helping her get Omega back.

It has been three weeks since then, but the Queen was still stuck on the Citadel away from her royal couch in Afterlife. The rebuilding process was not going as fast as Aria would have wanted. It would have been easy plus quite a bit satisfying to tear apart some of those responsible, but... Even Aria had to admit that she needed those people however incompetent they may be. There was just not enough bodies on Omega at this point to relieve stress by reducing that number.

Stress. It would be acceptable to relieve some tension using a warm body in a way that would not involve killing. Grab a stripper and fuck her brains out until she begged Aria to stop. Or grab a stripper and tease her until she begged to be fucked. Either way Aria would get some measure of relief from dominating both body and mind.

Then she remembered where she was.

Ugh. No way. The stripper in this piss hole these uptight, pretentious snobs called Purgatory were so far below Aria's standards they would not be able to even disembark on Omega. What a pathetic, creditworthy excuse of a bar! If only she could be back at Afterlife enjoining the view from her couch. The couch that Shepard somehow managed to safe as well. That was unexpectedly accommodating.

No. The most unsuspecting thing was that she did not intervene. Aria murdered Petrovsky with her own hands in full view of the human and the Spectre did not even flinch a muscle. The Queen of Omega thought she would surely protest, maybe even physically stop her from fulfilling her revenge. Aria was even prepared to allow the scum general to be taken away, all Shepard had to do was ask. It would be a terrible price to pay, but returning Omega under her hand where it belonged was worth it.

Shepard just watched as Aria chocked her victim to death. The purple skinned asari could swore there was a barely noticeable smirk on her freckled face when she melded with the general to feel him go. Despair, fear, regret – all those last feelings in Petrovsky's mind made her revenge dazzlingly sweet, but that smirk is what lingered in the corner of her brain even since that day.

Maybe that's what made her kiss Commander right after that. At the time she just wrote off her impulse on heat of battle and triumphant hormonal overload of her total victory. Later that day when she was plaughing a young asari stripper in her quarters her thoughts kept returning to Shepard. What if that Cerberus slut-girlfriend of hers thought the Spectre a lesson or two on how to re ruthless Cerberus style. Then her thought suddenly moved to the various images of Shepard and Miranda together. Pressed against each other, sweaty, arching. Screaming each other names out loud.

She ended up driving that asari into a complete exhaustion. That was not enough. She repeated that pattern four times since then. Every time Aria was releasing all of her pent up lust it ended the same way. With Aria unsatisfied, trying to stop herself from fantasizing about Shepard, and her play-toy unconscious at her feet.

"Oh, fine, why the fuck not! I can do whatever I want, so why not do _her_?" Aria murmured to herself. Then suddenly the thought of seducing Shepard – the Hero of the Galaxy, one and only Hope against the Reapers – became intensely appealing. Why was she even so repulsed at the idea before? Maybe something in Shepard's green eyes. There was a steely edge to them, threat more dangerous then an enraged krogan.

Then again, who cares about that? Shepard is just a human after all. Yes, an extraordinary human, but still only human. There's no human, asari or any other species who could resist Aria when she's set on seducing someone. Aw, and let's not forget about that stuck up slut Shepard had been sharing her bed with! As far as Aria's informants could tell Miranda Lawson was in the wind. Shepard seemed to keep faithful non the less so there had to more to it. Well, doesn't matter. To take Shepard away from this Cerberus bitch would be a bonus.

Predatory grin returned to Aria's face with renewed ferocity. She picked up her glass and slowly took a sip. This hunt is to be savored. The Queen of Omega could already see an outline of a plan forming in her head.

**. . .**

"Oh, yes, this is good..." drawled the redhead. Naked, covered with freckles body was glistening with sweat reflecting the light above the bed. Her muscled hand slid a bit lower to grip more tightly around the blue crest between her legs. The head of similarly naked asari bobbed up and down almost desperately.

Liara lifted her head from Sheppard's pussy and immediately replaced her tongue with two fingers as if afraid of what would happen if she stopped completely. She had more then one reason to behave that way.

"Shepard, please!" Her voice was cracking with tears, the desperate need mixed up with fear and humiliation. "You have made me please you for hours! I can't take it anymore! I need to come, please, just meld with me! I'll do anything just let me... please... I beg of you!" Her pleadings suddenly devolved into uncontrollable sobs. Still she did not stop working with her fingers.

The Commander seemed unperturbed. She glanced at the clock standing on the small table next to the bed in Liara's quarters on board the Normandy. Yeah, it had been several hours. There was some work to be done. But it could wait a bit more. There was only one way this little fun break could end.

Shepard looked back at Liara. She was still sobbing, but quietly to herself, clapping one hand over her mouth. The other hand was working its magic on Commander's clit. She knew what it would mean to anger Shepard with too much tears or begging when she did not ask for that specifically. Stopping pleasuring her Master without permission would have been even worse.

"Very well then. Might as well get this little fun session over with. You know what I need to have to finish with you. Get it."

There was a huge sigh of relief that left Liara's chest. The sobs subsided almost immediately. She withdrew her fingers from inside of Shepard's pussy prompting a low groan of pleasure from the redhead. Then she stood up and padded on bare feet to the table. Liara took something from the top drawer and hurried back to her hard earned place.

"Not so fast." Shepard's voice stopped the asari in her tracks. "First activate the cameras. I want Miranda to see what we have been doing while she's been gone. I'm sure she would like to see you on your knees getting what you had worked so hard for."

Liara swallowed. Her training before Shepard gave herself up to the Alliance had only lasted several months, but it was scrupulously thorough. She knew with perfect clarity that she belonged to both Shepard and Miranda in equal parts. They shared their submissive partners uncompromisingly. That was probably one of the reasons why two such strong dominating woman were so faithfully in love with each other. They shared everything and were brutally honest about it.

"Yes, Master. I would be happy to show Mistress my hard work at keeping you satisfied in her absence."

While all their other partners called Shepard Master and Miranda - Mistress, there was no such dynamic between the two. Both Shepard and Miranda were the dominating ones, they received almost ecstatic pleasure from watching each other dominate others. However Liara herself saw a recoding of the way they were alone. No dominance, no roughness, no humiliation – nothing of the sort of things they both did to their trained willing slaves. Only tenderness and exquisite knowledge of each others bodies bringing the most pleasure possible.

Liara shook her head ever so slightly to chase away the image of Jane and Miranda clutching at each other, looking directly into each others eyes and confessing their love over and over as waves of violent orgasms rolled over them. She did miss her Mistress terribly. It was just not the same without her. Tears appeared in her eyes again and she used the back of her hand to swipe them away.

Shepard slid her body into a standing position in one smooth move. She reached out and patted Liara's crest like she was a lost child.

"I know you are missing Miranda, too. You undoubtedly will have a chance to show your Mistress just how much you've missed her. Now be a good girl and do what you're told."

Liara nodded with a small smile. She keyed a few keystrokes at the small terminal on her bedside table. There was a "zho-o-om" from somewhere within the walls and a red light lit up on the monitor. The asari put in two more commands and almost ran back to her place besides the Commander. Without any commands she plopped on her knees again and looked up for permission.

Shepard gave her a hungry grin and spread her legs a bit wider. The object Liara took from the drawer was a sizable sex toy. It was long and separated at one one fourth length with a curiously shaped plate. With an undoubtedly learned through a lot of practice movement she put the shorter end in her mouth and sucked slightly. As soon as the toy became sleek with her saliva Liara pulled it out of her mouth and positioned it at her Master's entrance. Spreading the folds of the redhead human with one hand she pushed the toy in.

Commander let out a satisfied low roar as familiar tightness filled her up again. Once the sensation transmitting plate firmly settled over her clit and the whole device fused itself into her skin she slid a hand down her abdomen grabbing tightly at the rising shaft. The toy changed color to match the shade of skin, now there was not way to tell it was not a part of Shepard's body. The sight of her Master holding her own cock exulted so much raw power it made Liara shiver and clutch at herself with burning need.

"I think, we'll skip a stage and go straight to busyness. Your mouth must be sore enough from all of that hard work earlier and I still want to hear you scream. Get in position before I throw you into a wall."

Liara scrambled to her feet. She knew perfectly well - that was no joke. The Commander was too stimulated to suppress her aggressive side. She would indeed hurl Liara face first into a wall and then ravish her painfully, without mercy if she was not eager enough.

The asari ran to the wall in question on her soft feet. Mounted at her chest height was a curious contraption. It looked like a strange mix between a dressing table with a mirror build into the wall and a specialized work out apparatus. There were leather padded bars at both ends of the table with secure loops to put the arms through. Opposite those bars there were handles coming out of the wall. Liara let her arms go through the loops, fixed her hands securely on the handles and let her chest lay down on the table. She spread her legs as much as she could even though she was standing on her tip toes now. Then she let her body stay completely still awaiting her Master to use her like always.

There was a grunt of approval behind her as the Spectre positioned herself behind her. The blue asari's body shuddered as she felt the familiar warm pressure at her entrance. With a feral roar Commander pushed the whole length of the toy inside of her with one violent thrust. Growling even more menacingly the redhead grabbed round blue hips with her muscular hands. She was going to take what she wanted. Violently, ferociously. She was going to own this lamb and drive her insane. Green eyed flashed with fire as they found the blue eyes in the mirror. Liara was filled to the brim with lust, desire to be taken, owned, fucked to complete exhaustion when her mind goes blank and she passes out into blissful nothingness.

That could certainly be arranged. Oh, and Miranda would appreciate the show.

The Commander grabbed her willing victim more tightly and picked up a crazy fast tempo right away. Liara rocked hard in her contraption clutching tightly at the handles. More and more thrusts were shuddering her body. Deep, they bottomed her out every time Sheppard pushed into her azure. It was dripping with wetness. She was already going crazy with the need to meld before, but this insane ride made her loose the last shreds of her concentration.

"Don't play shy, bitch." The growling of Shepard's voice was suddenly at her crest. Looking up in the mirror Liara saw her Master bowing low to place her head next to hers. Shepard's green eyes were blazing with primordial power. Her lips were parted in a scowl, gritted teeth made her look like the ultimate predator.

"I want you to scream for me. You can meld with me, but remember I will make you come as many times as your body can handle. I'm gonna fuck you into a mumbling, trembling mess. Come, get what you wanted."

Throwing the remainder of her restraint away Liara began to moan, crying out every time Commander's cock hit the very deepest part of her gushing, sloppy azure. Good thing her quarters were completely soundproof. Her eyes went to full black in a flash and she found herself dominated by ferocious power of Shepard's consciousness. It was unyielding, exploring every corner of her trembling with the need mind.

"_Your body is mine to take however I want, slut! Next time you want to beg for me to fuck your unconscious, ask nicer!"_

"_Yes, Master, I will remember..."_

"_Now, I will make you come as many times as needed for this lesson to stick. And don't forget to let Miranda know that you're thinking of her. Unless you want your Mistress to punish you next time. Maybe you would like that even better, huh, slut?"_

The image of Miranda standing over her bound and gagged body with a whip in her hand made Liara let out a loud scream of longing. She could not take it anymore. Her muscles clenched at Shepard's cock and she came undone with a loud "Mistress!" on her lips. Feeding of off her orgasm Shepard emptied her cock into the deepest part of Liara. However coming did not deter the redhead from what she was doing. She picked up the pace almost immediately.

The blue skinned asari cried out again, louder then before. Her azure was so full from her own orgasm and the wetness Shepard released into her, it was dripping generously on to the floor. She let her head fall onto the desk unable to keep it up.

"_I have said I will drill you until your blue ass passes out and that's exactly what I'm gonna do. Speaking of that blue ass.."_

The Spectre pulled out and pressed her glistening shaft to the other opening. It slid inside easily. Maybe it had to do with all that lubricating wetness or maybe because of the extensive training Liara has received. Shepard unceremoniously pushed her whole length all the way in. One muscular hand slipped around the blue hip and flicked a finger over the swollen dripping ridge of Liara's clit. Her body winced at the touch and Shepard could feel the taste of flesh in her mouth: the blue skinned asari was biting her own arm and the meld had carried the sensation over. The redhead laughed out loud and placed both her hands back on the hips of wincing, trembling body below her.

Human picked up her pace. Her thrusts were just as rough and powerful as before. Liara could not support her body anymore. She lifted her legs in the air completely relying on Sheppard to carry her weight. Not that this was any problem for the muscular human. Growling her approval she moved closer to the wall, dragging Liara's body higher and burying herself deeper in her ass.

Another orgasm shuddered them both. Shepard gave it a minute's rest and then made her prey stand again. She pulled out of that blue ass she found so satisfying and rammed her cock into Liara's azure again. Picking up the blue asari juicy backside in her arms she kept the same rough, fast tempo clearly intended on driving Liara to another climax. Sweat was running down her back, her red hair was sticking to her face yet the ferocious hunger on her face has not diminished.

Liara was loosing herself in this vicious ride. She was being dragged towards her next climax, she could not remember how many she had times she came before that. Both her head and legs were wobbling freely – she did not have the strength to keep them steady anymore.

The only real things left in the whole universe were the handles she was still clutching at tightly more out of reflex then conscious effort and the burning, searing sensations caused by Shepard's cock as it ravished her azure and her ass in dazzlingly rapid succession – both insanely pleasurable and slightly painful at the same time. The only thing keeping her from loosing her mind was the unyielding, monolithic presence in her mind. Shepard's fierce consciousness was like red hot metal rod directing her, keeping her from simply fainting, filling her to the brim with lust, willing her to submit to that raw power. Liara was supremely eager to do just that. She let all of her thoughts go and clung tightly to Shepard's mind.

"_I feel... oh, that's nice... I feel like you have learned your lesson, bitch."_

Commander steadied her grip and forced her cock as deep as she could into the blue asari's azure. Shepard's mind caught Liara's and forced her to spiral into their final orgasm. The redhead roared with pleasure knowing that she was taking what was hers, marking her property once again. Her cock was contracting pumping more of her own wetness into Liara's overflowing azure.

For several minutes she stood still at the apex of her thrust just enjoying the sensations of complete and utter dominance. The joining lingered a moment longer and dissipated. With a long, full breath Shepard pulled out and let go of her willing slave. The asari having lost her only support let go of the handles and collapsed to the floor. Liara had been beyond exhausted. Her body could not move a muscle reveling in calming warm numbness, her mind was so blissfully empty there was not a shred of a single thought.

Shepard slid her hand down the shaft of her wet cock pulling gently. The sensor transmitting plate disconnected itself from its place over her clit. Commander winced at the sensation, then she pulled the smaller end of the toy out of her very slowly. As the end of the toy left her body completely she let out a breath through gritted teeth. Smiling slightly at one of her favorite tools she put it on the table to be properly cleaned later by Liara.

Right, Liara. The Spectre returned to the lying blue form at the wall. She picked her up carefully and carried her to the bed. Shepard placed the exhausted body in a comfortable position and pulled the covers over the asari's shoulders.

"Shepard..." Liara murmured opening her eyes weakly. "You... Master, you could have left me where I was. I was comfortable enough."

"I take good care of everything I own. You should know that by now." Commander poked at Liara's nose with a surprisingly playful gesture. "You did your job well today and you have learned your lesson."

She moved to the bedside table rotating, then pressing something on the small terminal. Then she turned around and grabbed a long black robe from the chair in the corner. She put the robe over her glistening from sweat yet somehow not entirely tired body, tied the belt and sat down at the edge of the bed.

"I'm going to go take a shower. There are a couple of issues that need taking care of. You are going to sleep, rest, then clean up the place. Don't forget to take care of the toys. Also I will need some info on that Victus fella, we'll need some extra strings attached to that guy. Dig something up while I deal with stuff on the Citadel."

Liara smiled and nodded slightly acknowledging she understood her assignments. Shepard bend down and kissed her on the top of her crest. The next moment she was up and almost out of bedroom before stopping in the door frame.

"Yeah, one more thing. After you look over the footage of today's lesson send it to my terminal up in the cabin. I'd like to see it first before sending it to Miranda. Though I'm sure she'll like it."

But the asari was already deeply asleep.

"Oh, well." The redhead muttered to herself. "I can do that much myself."

Sheppard turned towards the exit and keyed in something on her Omni-tool. A blink of an eye later she disappeared out of sight. The door opened then closed on its own.

**. . .**

Aria reread the message one more time:

"Shepard,

I have some valuable information you really want to get your hands on. You did help me get Omega back so you're the first in line to get a shot at it. Do not think this is charity work. You will have to play me for it somehow. You know where to find me. Do not keep me waiting for too long. There are other buyers already lined up.

Aria."

Yeah that sounded exactly like her. She did indeed prepared some juicy information to "sell" to the Commander. Though all of it was only a convenient excuse to get her redhead sexy body in the same vicinity as Aria. There was no way to tell she had more ambitious plans other then business.

Good. Aria's leather clad fingers hovered over her Omni-tool for a second... Send. The predatory grin on her purple face grew wider. Fine. Let's see how good you are at this game, Shepard!

Aria had no doubts that she would be fucking the Hero of the Citadel very soon. She had centuries to practice her seduction techniques. What challenge a simple, street rat of a human could pose to her skills? Aria will take her time seducing her pray, stripping away all the resistance, perhaps even making her beg, but in the end she will brake that smug redhead and fuck her brains out. After that her irritating infatuation with the human will be done and over with.

What the Queen of Omega did not know was that this little message would start a very dangerous gamble for her. Game where all the players are not at all what they seem.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** This chapter ended up being super long. For the purposes of this story Kasumi is very much a masochist. Also I have created a backstory for Kasumi being born and raised in a Yakuza family on Earth. It is completely non canon. Both aspects will be expanded upon in the next chapter, witch is probably not gonna be as long as thins one.

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Chapter II

Shepard disembarkedthe Normandy by herself. According to Citadel time it was early in the morning. Though it was hard to keep track of the time on the space station. The sky light on the Presidium was always simulating mid-day of a class-3 planet. The Commander was not going straight to Presidium this time. She ordered a skycar to pick her up from the Normandy.

The car zoomed through the air of artificial atmosphere at full speed. It flew past the ring of the Presidium and lowered itself into the traffic going to the Wards. Finally it parked and dropped Shepard off at the shopping district on the Zakera Ward. The Spectre moved among the onlookers for a while even checking out some of the more interesting weapon shops. Then she slipped past bored looking group of turians, turned around a corner into a secluded, empty hallway and cloaked. Not a single person or C-Sec surveillance camera noticed her disappearance.

Several hours later Shepard was walking up a flight of stairs in a company of two Shadow Agents in one of the many apartment complexes on the Presidium. She was wearing an unmarked, worn out set of Armax Arsenal armor with Recon Hood covering her face. The agents she took with her were also wearing unmarked black and gray armor sets with closed helmets. Neither one of them knew her real identity. For them she was just another middle-man officer working for the Shadow Broker. One of many.

The group proceeded to move past the doors to prestigious apartments until they had reached the correct one. One of the agents stepped forward, waited for a nod from Shepard and keyed in the pass code on the keypad to the right of the door. As the door swung open they entered keeping the same defensive order as usual – one agent in front, then Shepard with second bodyguard keeping the rear.

Several eyes focused on them right away. Salarian eyes. Two armed salarians wearing black and yellow armor stepped forward. Third armed bodyguard stayed behind the couch in a defensive posture keeping a keen eye on his boss. Sitting calmly on the couch was another salarian dressed in a more traditional political garb.

Shepard ignored the armed salarian escort and proceeded to take a sit opposite the politician on the other couch. Her agents took their places behind the couch. That seemingly satisfied the salarian bodyguards because they mirrored the movement.

Commander stayed silent for a moment eying the salarian, then she spoke. The voice modifier in her Hood augmented her voice to be completely unrecognizable. Synthetic, sometimes slightly distorted sounds her voice was making could not be retroactively decoded even with a recording on hand.

"Dalatrass Esheel. Pleasure to meet you." She paused. "Before we move on to business, there's one small matter of security to take care. Is this room completely secure?"

The most right salarian bodyguard definitely from STG piped up:

"We have swept this room before you arrived. I can assure you there is nothing to be concerned about."

Shepard moved her head slightly.

"Wasn't talking to you."

The air in the chair to the left of Shepard shimmered. Suddenly a figure decloaked into full view. The woman sitting there was wearing the same sort of armor Shepard wore, the only difference being that her head was protected by a Death Mask. She was sitting comfortably in her chair completely unabashed by sudden attention from salarians who drew their weapons.

The voice that came from her was distorted in the exact same manner Shepard's was.

"The room is clean, boss. No bugs. And these guys did not set up any of their own as was agreed upon."

Shepard nodded at her partner in crime smiling to herself under the Hood. She turned her eyes back to the Dalatrass and her escorts.

"No need to panic, guys. Me and my associates are in a dangerous field of work, you could surely understand our desire for some extra precautions. And you, Dalatrass, certainly would appreciate the privacy of this conversation."

"Um.. Yes, I would. So are you the Shadow Broker?"

"No." Shepard allowed herself a few low laughs that sounded ominous through the voice modifier. The irony of this line of questioning was not lost on her.

"The Shadow Broker does not take such risks. You can call me The Messenger. I'm one of many agents entrusted to speak on the Broker's behalf."

"I see you are quite careful not to exactly identify if the Shadow Broker is an individual or a group."

Shepard stayed silent. Since they took down the Yahg, the Shadow Broker became a group of people. All aligned to Shepard's new goal, Shepard, Miranda and Liara made up a triumvirate of sorts at the top of the organization. The Dalatrass naturally would not be allowed to that information. Pawns don't get explanations from King and Queen on the chess board.

"So what exactly you wanted to discuss with me aside from the damning information you forwarded to get me here?"

"Oh, please, Dalatrass! The tidbits about your involvement in concealment of Prothean artifacts and unauthorized uplift operations on the primitive species are the least interesting secrets we got on you. Judging by your political history, however, we do not think there is any necessity to use those. But you might find it beneficial to foster a working and friendly relationship with the Broker."

"How would that work? I would not be part of any activity that would destabilize the galaxy even further! Especially not in the face of the Reaper invasion."

"And we would not ask you to. The Shadow Broker is very much invested in stopping the Reapers. That is actually one of the problems we can help each other with."

"Elaborate."

"Dalatrass Linron." Shepard paused. There was a gleam of understanding in Esheel's amphibian eyes. She blinked rapidly.

"Linron has an uncompromising reputation. Her views are clouded by personal grudges and inability to see beyond past differences. At the same time she is in a position to speak for the whole Salarian Union. That is a troubling perspective for us."

"What are you purposing exactly?"

"A replacement. We have some very damning information capable of lowering Linron's and her clan's reputation enough for another dalatrass to depose her as the representative for the summit. We would like that dalatrass to be you. Interested?"

Esheel sat motionless for several minutes. Then she blinked suspiciously.

"What's the catch? What do you want form me? Inside information on the Union? Favoritism of your illegal information trading? Information on the other Dalatrasses? The Salarian Councilor?"

"Nothing of the sorts. First, we have more then enough informants in Salarian Union. Second, no one will ever be able to prove any of our activities to be illegal. Third, Valern is a push over. He cares about his political career far too much. Manipulating people like that is routine for the Broker. As for the other Dalatrasses... We have all the linchpins in the right places and even if we needed more... Well, we are talking right now, aren't we?"

"The next thing you are going to say is that there is no catch." Suspicious look did not leave salarian's face.

"Not exactly." Shepard leaned forward. "The catch is you have to release the information that will bury Linron yourself. We will transfer all the relevant files to you, but from there on you are on your own. The files are not traceable. It's gonna be your show. Let's call it insurance of your cooperation. You know that Linron will damn the galaxy to suffer at the hands – or claws for that matter – of the Reapers. You will have the power to stop her. Your choice."

"I have to say, the Shadow Broker's methods are more elegant then I expected."

"People who work for the Broker are exceedingly selfish. We don't want to die or be turned into monsters. We want to prosper witch means we have to win by any means possible. All that we require form you is to help make that happen."

"Alright. I agree to your terms."

"Very good. You will have the information within two hours. I believe our business is concluded."

Shepard stood up and keyed something in her Omni-tool.

"Wait a moment!" The salarian Dalatrass was wearing a curious expression. "What about Commander Shepard? She is going to be at the summit. Probably be the one to put forward a plan for action."

Shepard allowed herself to smile underneath the Hood. She expected for this question to pop up.

"The Shadow Broker and Commander Shepard have reached... an understanding. At the very least for the duration of this war. I can reassure you that the Broker supports Shepard's effort in stopping the Reapers fully. Believe it or not, Dalatrass, but we all are just trying to get out of this war alive."

Shepard paused, then crooked her head a bit.

"Well, most of us anyway. But the situation with those that want out of stupidity or malice to sabotage our efforts, as you can see, is rectifiable. Good day, Dalatrass. We'll be in contact."

She strolled to the door being closely followed by three Shadow Agents. The group moved in silence. The route to the safe-house was preplanned.

It took them just over half an hour to reach an unremarkable Storage Facility on the Wards. Shepard keyed a pass code on the entrance. Once they were inside the big hall the agent in the Death Mask waved her Omni-tool slightly and the monitoring equipment flickered. Shepard moved to put in another pass code on the door to a room sized storage unit at the far end for the Facility. She turned around to the two agents that she took to the meeting.

"Thank you for the job well done. Return to your posts. No interference unless special circumstances arise. I assume I do not have to reemphasize that you are only to monitor Citadel's key locations."

"No, boss. Everyone knows our orders."

"Good. Dismissed." Shepard turned towards the storage unit. Two agents nodded to the agent in the Death Mask and sped up in the direction of skycar lot outside the Facility. The agent in the Death Mask followed Shepard into the container locking the door behind them. Hermetical seal swooshed in the silence of the empty hall. There was no way of determining witch one of the units was opened a minute ago.

The insides of the container were the size of the AI core on the Normandy. The walls were almost completely covered with shelves and locked cases. There was a small terminal on the low table to the right. At the far wall behind the cleverly constructed hatch was the secret way out to the opposite side of the Facility.

Shepard pulled her Recon Hood off heaving a huge breath. Commander discarded her headgear into one of the containers waiting on the shelf and ran both hands through her damp with sweat red hair.

"I hate staying in disguise. That shit doesn't let any air through."

There was a giggle behind her. The agent was removing her Death Mask. Underneath it was a pretty asian face with gleaming cybernetic eye implants and a purple tattoo across the lower lip. The woman reached at the back of her head and pulled the ribbon holding together a bun at the base of her neck. Her straight silky hair fell around her shoulders reaching the middle of the spine. It was cut in such a way that the left side looked longer then the right. Or maybe the uneven line of her fringe gave that impression. Kasumi Goto brandished the Death Mask, waiving it at the redhead.

"That's why I use this thing, Shep. It breathes like silk!" She could not hold it in and burst out laughing.

Shepard rolled her eyes in exasperation. She moved to the small terminal and keyed in four lines of code. It beeped and flickered with confirmation. The Spectre grinned triumphantly.

"Good. Now this summit is going to go much smoother. Wrex is a straight arrow. The only thing he cares about is the krogan as a whole, not even his Clan. Esheel can be convinced by logic and cold facts. And if Liara has found more dirt on Victus, I'll be holding all the cards."

"How is Liara? We've only managed to exchange a couple of simple messages since I left the Shadow Broker ship."

"She is good. Working aboard the Normandy now. She had to dispose of the ship. Pity. But it was never essential. You'll get to see her soon, Kass."

Shepard turned around to see her partner in crime in the middle of taking off her breast plate. They should leave their disguises here. Commander started working on her own armor unclasping the straps, removing the gloves. The tricky process of putting on and getting out of armor had long since became a second nature to her so Shepard's gaze wandered around the room absentmindedly. However she had found something else to focus her attention on very quickly. The slender form beside her was tantalizing is its grace and agility. It has been quite a long while since they seen each other, too.

"So, Kass, have you been using your cybernetic implants lately?"

"Of course, Shep. I can't really do my job without them. The head display, muscle controllers and auditory enhancement features have been invaluable recently."

"Those are not the implants I was talking about."

Commander's voice was oozing sex and the implications of what she meant made the thief suddenly stop unclasping the plate of armor on her thigh. She recovered quickly hiding a satisfied smile on her lips.

"Um... I did use those implants once or twice as well."

"Give me access."

Kasumi was turned away from the Spectre facing the row of shelves. She activated her Omni-tool and keyed in a complicated pass-phrase assigning the access privileges to a seemingly random combination of numbers, symbols and dots. The buzzing sound from behind her made her shift slightly, the reflective smirk still hiding on her lips.

"Interesting."

Shepard scrolled through usage reports only noticing dates and times. Most of those, she knew, corresponded to either her calls or messages received from Liara. The sly vixen missed them after all, but as usual neglected to mention it straight up! The grin on her freckled face grew more devious. Shepard closed her Omni-tool and returned to takeing in the view before her.

The raven haired thief was now bending low trying to undo the belts on her armored boots. Those were the only two pieces of armor not yet removed, leaving the small, but agile body tightly wrapped in a compression zerosuit. The black suit – a twin of what Shepard was wearing herself – accented every movement, every curve and long line. Kasumi stepped out of her boots wincing at the coolness of the steel floor on her bare feet and carefully put them in the nearby container.

She turned around clasping her fingers around the clip of the suits zipper just below the collar. Turned around to face the heavy gaze of Shepard's green eyes. Commander had already rid herself of her zerosuit, it being thrown unceremoniously in the nearest container. Shepard was almost completely naked only sporting her black panties. The redhead perched herself up against the table crossing her arms just below her chest and paying very close attention to her partner in crime.

The master thief shivered. She felt her heart begin to race under that hungry, lustful look Commander was giving her. It has been some time since they were alone together. But from now until the next mission she had time. Time to catch up with Liara and to do whatever Shepard undoubtedly has planned. Maybe those two things could be done at the same time... That thought made Kasumi's cheeks heat up. Somehow it became harder to breathe. Those green eyes were still staring at her seemingly with even more, tamed for the moment, fiery desire.

"_Oh, no..."_ Kasumi felt her skin, especially around her special implants, tingling with a familiar feeling. She tugged at the clasp of the zipper and pulled it down.

"Slowly." Shepard's voice was hoarse. The low tone meant as a warning.

The pale hand stopped immediately. Kasumi had to take a long breath to calm down a bit. Her heart was pounding against the ribcage. The anticipation flowed through her body like an electrical storm. She pulled on the clasp very slowly. Her hand moved with the length of the zipper all the way to lowest part of her abdomen where the zipper stopped.

Shepard unfolded her arms and put them behind her on the table. She leaned back in a very suggestive pose. Her green eyes were transfixed on the woman standing in front of her. The redhead met Kasumi's eyes. Shepard grinned then slowly licked her lips. This unapologetic, hungry gesture made the thief fidget around a bit. She wanted more, but being directed by her Master, knowing what would follow if she disobeyed... the thought if it made the slim asian clench her small hands into fists. She wanted to be punished, for Shepard to do all the terrible yet wonderful things to her that she sorely missed.

Kasumi raised her head to meet her Master's eyes. They burned with emerald fury of lust and dominance as always. It seems the thought of disobeying has found its way onto her face, because Shepard's features hardened, her throat let out a low growl. And then the redhead spread her legs further apart, leaning further back on the low table. Shepard's tongue escaped her mouth again, this time lingering a moment on her upper lip.

Kasumi shuddered. She could not possibly disobey now. But that predatory grin on her Master's face... She knew it so very well. Even taking her own pleasure first, Shep will give her exactly what she wanted.

"Arms first." Shepard directed.

Her pray obediently pulled one hand through the sleeve, then the other, keeping the front of the suit tantalizingly closed.

"Now show me what you got there!" The redhead demanded.

Kasumi pulled the top of the suit off her shoulders and let it slide down. It bunched up at her hips with the sleeves hanging freely about her slender legs almost touching the floor. She could not resist putting on a bit of a show. Her hands slowly ran up her pale body. Up along her flat, trained stomach to the swell of her small breasts. She cupped herself gently at first, then more aggressively looking to get a reaction.

And boy did she get one! Commander's gaze was transfixed on her. It first ran along her upper form admiring the pale skin and elegance of the small, but properly proportioned features. She showed her teeth in a hungry uneven grin.

"So how are those cute looking implants have been treating you, pet? Show them to me."

Kasumi removed her hands to reveal what from the first glance seemed to be simple nipple piercings. She was wearing what looked like two straight black barbells, but that was very far from the truth. In fact those were not piercings at all or maybe not exactly piercings. The barbells were part of several very special cybernetic implants on her body. They all connected with the power supply in Kasumi's Omni-tool and most of the time stayed dormant.

However if she were to key in just a few strokes on her Omni-tool those implants were capable of delivering all kinds of pleasurable sensations.

"Lovely." Shepard had been inspecting the way the implants contrasted with the thief's pale skin with visible interest. "What settings have you used so far?"

Kasumi exhaled heavily. She was not embarrassed or being shy, not at all, but Shepard's wondering gaze had made it harder to breathe or move. It was like just her watching was enough to simulate the feeling of being tied up.

"Um... I did use the vibration setting and..."

"And?"

"And... electroshock charges."

"Oh, you little masochist! I knew, you'd like those things." Shepard grunted approvingly. "What about the lower one?"

Kasumi squeezed her legs tighter together at that question.

"You did the same thing with that one, didn't you?"

"...Yes." Her voice was little more then a whisper.

"I want to see it."

The master thief swallowed. She looked at Shepard only to find the same hungry expression again, though this time it was less tamed. The muscles on the freckle-covered body had tightened, thin layer of sweat gathered from wearing armor was glistening in the florescent lights. Shep was like a dangerous, feral tiger ready to pounce at any moment. Pounce at the slender woman standing half naked in front of her.

Kasumi bit her upper lip. The sight of her Master, her rapt attention and obvious arousal left the thief increasingly wanting. She slid her hands along the slender legs all the way to her ankles. There her fingers grasped at the clasps and pulled at the zippers on the side of each leg. Each one freed her leg below the knee. Straitening herself upwards again Kasumi moved her hands to rest on her thighs. She grasped at the bunched up suit and pushed it down until it slid freely to the floor. With one final fluid motion she stepped out of it and turned towards Shepard completely naked.

The redhead moved up from her relaxed position standing up and putting her hands on her hips. Kasumi let her arms fall to her sides letting Commander inspect every inch of her body. Shepard indeed appreciated the pale slim form in front of her very much, but there was one specific area she was interested in right now.

Shepard's eyes met the slightly glowing eyes of the thief, then those green eyes proceeded lower caressing the swell of her breasts, the thinness of her waist, the curves of her hips and finally settling between her legs. Her crotch while completely devoid of hair had one feature that drew attention. Just above her pussy was another implant. This one looked like a black triangle pointing to the floor, but with it's tip cut off. It was not particularly big, only three maybe four centimeters long.

Commander knew that its was in fact a shallow frustum-like plate – the rest of it being embedded seamlessly into the skin. It was made out of elastic materials not restricting movement or giving any uncomfortable feelings in its dormant state.

She stepped closer to her pray. There was barely a step separating them now. Shepard reached with her hand and slid her index finger across the lower implant barely touching it. Kasumi shuddered at the ghost of a touch she craved so much. The implant felt like hot rubbery plastic. Normally it would be the same temperature as the skin, but the slender asian has become very aroused and the heat of the implant was reflecting the heat that was already burning between her legs. The wetness glistening on the folds of her exposed pussy looked absolutely exquisite.

Shepard let out a laugh that sounded more like a bark. Suddenly she grabbed Kasumi by the throat and dragged her to the wall behind the wide-eyed thief. She slammed the smaller body hard against the wall and pressed herself on top. Shepard's mouth pressed violently on Kasumi's lips. The kiss was full of hunger, lust and primal desire. Shepard's tongue exploded into the thief's mouth claiming it completely.

The redhead bit on the lower lip tugging at the tattoo. As her teeth delivered a singe of pain, Kasumi let out a moan of pleasure. Her hands were grasping at the cool wall not daring to touch her Master without permission. Her legs were shut tightly, thighs slightly rubbing one another. The Spectre raised her hand and grabbed Kasumi's jaw aggressively turning her head to face her. Green eyes were burning so very close to her face.

"I'm afraid we don't have enough time to properly play with your new toys. But since I haven't seen you for such a long time I think I ought to play with _you_."

Kasumi had to press herself harder into the wall to keep her composure. Shep would not like it if she begged too soon.

"Yes, Master. I'm yours to take, to ravish however you please."

"Heh, wouldn't you like that, bitch? For me to fuck you here against this wall thoroughly, painfully? Make you scream from both pleasure and pain, huh? Break you again?"

Shepard's thumb slid across her tattooed lip is a harsh, possessive gesture. The only thing Kasumi could do in response was to nod. Her legs were in a serious danger of giving out. But there was one thing she could not pass up on. She opened her mouth and let the thumb in. Her tongue pressed hard on it for a moment, then she sucked on her Master's thumb with longing spreading across her face.

"Aren't we eager today?" Shepard grinned at her oh-so-willing victim. "Well, you are lucky I want to catch up or I would have to really punish you, slut."

The redhead pressed her lower body harder fixing Kasumi in place with her hips. Her right hand was still holding onto the thief's jaw. Meanwhile her left hand slipped down to place its palm on top of Kasumi's breasts. Strong fingers pulled and mashed the supple flesh. The redhead closed two fingers around the nipple and the implant, pinched and turned sharply. The thief let out a muffled whimper still busying her mouth with sucking on Shepard's thumb. Commander's hand turned her head to the side opening the juicy curve of Kasumi's neck.

Shepard leaned in and sunk her teeth into that sweet neckline. The bite was deep, painful. Burning sensation of Shepar's tongue flicking over the bruise then the sharp pain of another bite rushed through the thief's body in a wave of heat and arousal. She could not take it silently. Tattooed lips released Shepard's thumb and let out a low moan.

"Enough playing around!" growled the Spectre.

She suddenly pulled off of Kasumi who let out a whimper at the pang of loss. Shepard only growled more in response. She grabbed the smaller woman, turned her around and threw her face first into the wall. Not giving her pray a second's rest Shepard grabbed a handful of the raven black hair and fixed her grip in the crook of her neck keeping Kasumi's face squished against the wall. The back of the master thief was covered with an intricate traditionally japanese tattoo mostly obscured by her long black hair at the moment. Shepard was too busy to admire the artwork anyway as she arched her victim the way she wanted.

Kasumi's legs were spread wide open now, her upper body pressed hard to the cool surface of the metal wall. Commander admired the pose for a second before an evil smirk appeared on her face. She shifted slightly to the side then raised her free hand and lowered it down in a swoosh of air. The slapping noise sounded oddly loud in such a confined space. Kasumi yelped. But the first spank was followed by another and another. Soon the slim thief was whimpering, yelping and moaning each time the hand collided with her severely reddened flesh. Each spank ricocheted like electrical bolts in her implants and her wet, swollen sex. Her body shuddered with an intoxicating mixture of pain and arousal.

With one more powerful spank Shepard stopped. She ran her nails across the red flesh of Kasumi's tight butt inciting some more whimpers and moans of both pain and pleasure. Shepard grunted in approval. Then her hand slid around the thin waist and traveled along the shivering abdomen, the hot lower implant, all the way down to the swelled folds of Kasumi's pussy.

She was dripping with wetness. The spanking may have been almost overstimulating. Shepard's fingers slid inside easily with minimal pressure. Kasumi had bit her upper lip again to keep herself from screaming. She tightened around Shepard's fingers. With the hand holding her in place the redhead removed the black tresses out of the way then leaned in to growl right in Kasumi's ear:

"Don't. I want to hear you scream. I want to hear you beg. Now."

Shepard bit on the crook of the neck covering the pale skin in purple bruises and sliding her tongue over them in harsh strokes.

"P-please, Shep... Master! Ravish me! Take me in any way you like! I need... I need the pain. I need you to break me again! To leave be a breathless, trembling mess! I need you to fuck me, to hurt me... Please..."

Her last plea got swallowed in a loud moan as Shepard moved her palm over Kasumi's swollen clit.

"Well done, my little toy. Don't think you have to stop on my accord. You are either screaming or begging until I say otherwise."

"Yes, Master. Never, Master. Please, Master, give me more."

But at this point Shepard's fingers that stayed still enjoying the tightness around them began pumping. She was rough, scraping the inner walls, tugging at the folds under her fingers. Her other hand pulled harshly on the fistful of hair causing Kasumi's head to bend backwards away from the wall. The loud screams from her mouth were intermingled with lower moans corresponding with each trust and stroke of Shepard's fingers. Her hands were wandering up and down on the wall as if trying to find something.

The redhead let go of the raven locks and slid her less occupied now arm around the slender body. Grubbing tightly with both arms she heaved her trapped pray off her feet and stumbled several steps backwards. Shepard landed on top of two locked containers stacked up next to a closed case mounted into the wall. She grunted at the coolness of metal beneath her, but only tightened the savage grip on her prize. Kasumi tried to find her voice, but only a broken whimper came out. The brunette was laying on top and arching against Shepard's body. She put her head on her Master's left shoulder, her arms were reaching backwards around the back of Commander's neck.

Shepard growled. She resumed her quick pumping motions burying three of her fingers as deep as she could. With the other hand she cupped one of thief's small breasts tugging and kneading the tender flesh with almost the full extent of her strength. Shepard brushed the long raven tresses out of her way with her chin and sank her teeth in the smooth line of Kasumi's shoulder combining the action with a brush of her palm at the swollen red bud. The thief threw her head back shouting silently at the sealing as her legs pulled further apart. She curled her toes and hissed something under her breath in japanese.

The redhead clicked her tongue in mocking disapproval. Suddenly Shepard pulled her fingers out with a wet pop. She threw Kasumi off of her to the floor.

"I remember ordering you to scream or beg, bitch. I do not hear either."

Kasumi did not move. She was a mess of tangled arms and legs, her wet from sweat hair sprawled across her shoulders and the floor. The slender thief was whimpering and gasping for breath.

Commander drew herself up to her full height with ease. Noticing the state of her soaked with sweat and her own juices panties she stepped out of them throwing the ruined underwear into one of the containers. The redhead moved the brunette's body with her muscled leg gently, but unceremoniously flipping the thief on her back. Shepard stepped forward to stand over the body trapped between her legs.

Kass looked up. Her lower lip was trembling. The sight opening up to her was magnificent. Shepard was standing there above her in all of her glory. The muscled figure was covered in equal measure by freckles, old scars and a web of small breaks in her skin that glowed slightly with a mixture of orange and red. The sweat glistening the length of her body and deep long breaths Commander was taking produced a strangely hypnotizing effect. Kasumi's eyes tried to take in the whole of her Master, but she could not look away from those burning green eyes.

"Shep... you're mesmerizing." She spoke without thinking.

"Am I now?" The angry grin on the freckled face softened a little. "Then why have you disobeyed? I am gonna have to punish you and not in a way you would like."

The small asian shuddered. She knew Shepard would not do anything drastic – after all they had more pressing issues to deal with today, but her Master would find a way to teach her a lesson. Unless she could explain her disobedience somehow...

"M-Master! I tried to speak! I truly did!" She swallowed the rest of her words under the harsh gaze. Shepard did not tolerate excuses.

"I..." Kasumi looked away. "Shep... I was about to come. It had been so long since you had broken me the last time... I couldn't... I will take any punishment you deem appropriate."

She heard the Spectre moving and winced at the touch that followed. Shepard was standing directly above her head nudging her face with her foot to turn and look at her. Kass was surprised to see a patronizing smile instead of an angry one.

"Since you apparently have forgotten how to hold your orgasms and patiently wait for permission I have a perfect punishment for you. You need a good reminder of who owns you, whore."

The redhead lowered herself on her knees positioning Kasumi's head in between her legs.

"You are going to please me now, slut. No hands, only lips and tongue. Give me an orgasm and I might think about letting you come. Don't even dare thinking about touching me or playing with yourself. You know, I can change your punishment to something far worse. Anything to say before the lesson?"

"Thank you, Master. I won't let you down this time."

"We will see."

Shepard spread her legs wider and lowered herself a top the thief's face. She glanced backwards and grunted apparently satisfied with the view. Kasumi had let her arms lay on her sides not making any attempt to move them.

"What are you waiting for? I have given you an order. You really want to test my patience?"

"No, Master."

Kasumi lowered her eyes to Shepard's pussy - open and inviting right in front of her. It was glistening with wetness. Her tattooed lips opened and she carefully slid the tip of her tongue over the wetness. The low grunt of approval from above was her reward. She pressed on using leisurely wide strokes. Then she pressed her whole mouth on top of the hot wetness and let herself get lost in the process.

She kissed and suckled and moved her tongue flatly across the folds not going any deeper yet. After a minute the Commander gasped and lowered herself even lower practically straddling her mouth. Taking that as a good sign Kass moved her tongue to the opening and pushed it inside. The abdomen muscles above her tightened. She stayed like that for a moment then pulled out moving her tongue in tight circles around the opening instead. Kasumi sucked gently on the hard bud of Shepard's clit.

The redhead growled. Her hands moved to the back of the thief's head, gripping, forcing her mouth closer, her tongue deeper. She buckled her hips into the motion of the sly brunette's kisses.

Kasumi could not say how long it was going on. She was loosing herself in the wetness around her mouth, the tight grip on her head, the lack of breath and the sharp pang of unresolved tension between her legs. Finally she felt the grip soften a little letting her take a deep breath before returning to liking and sucking. She felt a touch on her cheek and opened her eyes. Shepard was stroking her rather affectionately.

"You are doing good, pet. I'm even wondering if I should let you relieve some of that pressure."

She hummed against the folds of Shepard's pussy. The redhead let out a sigh of pleasure at the vibrations.

"Yes, I'll let you have one thing. Be grateful. You can touch yourself. Only to take the edge off. Don't you dare coming before me."

She moaned into the wetness closing her lips around Shepard's clit and sucking hard this time. Small hands moved across her stomach to clasp tightly at her crotch. The pressure helped a little bit, but Kasumi was staring to loose her resolve. The burning need was spreading throughout her whole body. She was not sure how much longer she could hold on.

Suddenly those thoughts were pushed out of her mind as Shepard roaring something violent grabbed her head tighter and started grinding against her mouth. The only thing she could do was to relax her tongue and adjust to the motions. Each time Shepard moved in she tried to suck at her clit. Noticing that her Master started to take tiny pauses at the peak of her movement.

Shepard stopped abruptly. She guided her slave's mouth to her clit and pressed even harder then before leaving Kasumi to suckle and run her tongue in complex patterns across the swollen, pulsing bud.

"You did good." Commander was panting, her chest heaving up and down faster and faster. That was very unusual. Shepard almost always kept her composure during sex and hardly ever tired out.

The Spectre activated her Omni-tool and pressed something here.

"I'm very close, pet. And as soon as you make me come I will reward you. Show me how much you want it."

Kasumi pressed her palms tighter to her sex hoping to buy a bit more time. She sped up the motions of her lips and tongue. She pushed her tongue in as deep as she could get, moving it around and then withdrawing it back out again. With a desperate attempt to get her Master to release her pent up tension she brushed her teeth at the swollen clit.

That did it. Shepard's muscles tensed up, she brought her thighs together trapping the thief's face between then and spraying gushing wetness into her mouth. The redhead was panting, but she recovered almost immediately releasing the choking hold of her slave. The black haired woman gasped for breath looking up at her captor with a silent plea.

"Good job. Now go back to what you were doing. I want you to try getting me off again. Touch is allowed now. Let's see who comes first."

Shepard pressed something on her still opened Omni-tool and Kasumi knew immediately what she had done. The implants buzzed with the highest vibration setting. She moaned loudly before snapping back to spreading kisses all over Shepard's wet inner thighs. Her Master rewarded her and she waned to show her appreciation.

This time she knew how the Spectre tastes have changed. The thief's mouth almost attacked still gushing from previous orgasm pussy in a flurry of lips, tongue and_ teeth_. She bit on one of the folds and tugged inciting a violent jerk of Shepard's hips. Commander was leaning back on her outstretched arms. Her head crooked to the side, mouth slightly open.

It was all too much. The vibrations, obvious enjoyment her Master has receiving form her teeth, the pent up need of unfulfilled orgasm... Kasumi screamed and arched her body upward balancing on her head and toes. She grabbed at Shepard's hips pressing her face tighter, closer to her Master's scent. She bit at the folds closest to Shepard's clit and moved her tongue over it with one slow rough stroke. The implants buzzed mercilessly burrowing the sweet sensation into her very bones. Kasumi's legs gave out and her body dropped to the floor. She tensed up curling her toes and squirted at a weird angle spraying her juices all over Commander's back. She pulled her tongue in deep not willing to give up yet.

The redhead's hips buckled, she drew herself forwards grasping at the head between her legs. Shepard moved her pussy slowly off of the brunette's mouth, flickered her finger over the swollen messy bud of her clit and released another generous amount of wetness all over her little slave's face. She sighed and got to her feed with a trained powerful move. She stretched grasping her hands together high above her head. Seemed like all the tension and fatigue had washed over her somehow re-energizing the redhead woman.

For a long minute the Spectre stood over her good little pet admiring the results of her lesson. Kasumi was laying relaxed on the floor, wondrous look of absolute bliss on her cute face. The fingers of her left hand lazily traced the flatness of her abdomen. Her legs were still twitching a little.

"Lesson learned, I take it."

"Yes, Master. I will not let you down again."

"Good. Now get up we still have work to do."

The slender asian woman chuckled.

"I'm sorry, Shep, but I don't think my legs can be of any use right now."

"Nonsense."

Shepard reached out and easily pulled Kass off the floor and into her arms. Commander pressed their bodies flush to one another. She buried her hand in the black hair settling somewhere at the back of Kass' head. The Spectre drew the smaller woman in for a deep crackling wit energy kiss. It lasted a long while leaving the finally parted lisps hungry for air. Sheppard wrapped her hands around the slender form holding her highly valued possession tightly to her chest.

"You do the nicest things, Shep." Kasumi murmured being enveloped in the strong exhilarating presence. "I missed this..."

The Omni-tool on Commander's wrist buzzed with seeming delight at the chance to interrupt the happy afterglow of good sex. Shepard grimaced at it, but opened up the messaging window non the less.

"Oh, look who had send me an email! It's your number one admirer."

Kasumi shifted her position slightly to be able to look at the screen while still being securely snuggled to Shepard's chest.

"That Spectre Jondum Bau has been more then a nuisance lately. He almost sabotaged the mission before last. Remember, the retrieval of Citadel emergency access codes? I have arranged everything as we planned more then two weeks ago. He did take his time. And they say salarians do everything at the speed of light!"

"You know, it's almost insulting he waited so long. Bau is either incompetent not being able to follow the clues we left for him or he waited on purpose. Witch means he's playing his own game. I highly doubt that's the case. His personal files from the Council archives are rather extensive. The profile doesn't fit, he supposed to be a fairly straight forward operative."

"What does he say?"

"Look for yourself." Shepard opened up the email and moved her Omni-tool to let the thief who was very comfortable in her arms read the message. Her gleaming with cybernetics eyes ran through the lines quickly. The contents of the email managed to put a sly smile on the thief's tattooed lips.

"It seems he took the bait. So, Shep, what's the plan for the rest of the day?"

"Well, we are going to put on some clothes and clean up. Then we'll sneak out of this place." The redhead paused. "Since both of us require a shower we'll make use of the fourth secondary safe house. I would like to get this business with the hanar home world finished ASAP. The time it took for that salarian to clue in has us uncomfortably close to the last deadline. Is the jellyfish being monitored?"

"Yes, I put two agents on Zymandis immediately after deciphering the data on hanar communication. They say he has one human bodyguard and that's it. Also the sub-channel transmission bridge on hanar's embassy comm line is fully functional. We can intercept any messages he might want to send to the Reapers."

"Good work. This operation should go swimmingly. Ready to be presumed dead?" She smirked down at the smaller woman resting her head on Shepard's chest.

"It's not gonna change my life or anything."

"Right. Anyway, we better get started."

With a disappointing sigh Kasumi pulled away from Shepard and reached for the canisters of disinfectant and alkaline spray. The decontamination foam would take care of any DNA evidence inside the containers, but the mess they had left on the floor... They really had to clean this place first.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: **This took a long time. I had some real trouble with a scene that I decided to postpone until the next chapter. Also this chapter lacks an explicit sex scene, only implied one. It just seemed out of place as far as the tone of this chapter goes. No worries, there will be lots of juicy stuff next up.

* * *

Chapter III

"Commander Shepard. Jondum Bau, Special Tactics and Recon. I've got intel suggesting that high-level hanar officials may be indoctrinated."

"Wow there, Bau! How about a hello first?" drawled Shepard leaning on the wall next to the Spectre office. She could almost hear the invisible thief stifling giggles further down the hall. "And, by the way, that's a pretty damning accusation. Got anything to back it up?"

Shepard has played her part flawlessly. Faking indignation and surprise at the supposed news of batarian raid and Alliance involvement, innocently suggesting using Spectre authority to go though hanar comm data. Then it's only the matter of following the already known to her clues and dragging the unsuspecting salarian along.

Naturally the search concludes at Zymandis' office. Shepard finds Jondum Bau already waiting there for her. She notices in her peripheral vision a slight shimmer of air and feels Kasumi next to her. Only another infiltrator and one that had a long time to learn all the tricks the master thief is capable of could feel her presence. There is another agent sitting on a bench in front of the office reading a magazine. His surveillance assignment is about to be finished.

They play out the notes of her plan. Shepard doesn't have to fake her anger this time. The damned jellyfish was fucking insane trying to give up the whole hanar home world to the Reapers! It could not do anything of the sorts anymore since the transmission bridge on the low priority channels had been already installed, but it could have ended up so much worse! She took her frustration on the obviously indoctrinated bodyguard while Bau finished off the brainless octopus.

Kasumi had decloaked and was playing her part splendidly. She "disabled" the upload and triggered the "failsafe". The bomb build into the desk had been designed to incinerate everything in a very specific arc at a very specific range. The force of the explosion threw both Spectre's at the wall. It disintegrated the desk and three chairs completely, blew out the window and left a singed, almost melted mark on the floor.

Jondum approached the wreckage cautiously scanning it with his Omni-tool. It beeped alarmingly: a strand of DNA appeared on the screen. Salarian's eyes blinked rapidly. There was a small spray of blood drops on the floor next to the burned out section.

"She was here the entire time! I intended to arrest her!"

Shepard was wearing a mournful mask.

"She was an old friend. Kasumi helped me take down the Collectors, and she just gave her life to save the hanar home world."

The salarian Spectre seemed taken aback for a minute.

"Point taken. I will make sure she is remembered for her more heroic deeds."

"I think Kasumi would have liked it more if she wasn't remembered at all. Both her criminal career and her selfless acts were not for publicity or recognition. She was a very private person..."

Shepard sighed and bowed her head in sorrow. There was something in her eye and she brushed at it angrily.

"Bau, would you mind erasing her from your records? I will do the same. This way only people who really knew her can remember her for who she really was – a good friend and a solid comrade."

The salarian blinked at Shepard and nodded.

"As you wish, Commander. I have grown to admire Ms. Goto during my investigations. She deserves a better memory then a stack of incriminating files. In any case, it was an honor to work with you, Shepard. When the time comes, I'll be there to return the favor... with a few friends."

He walked away without a glance back so confident in his own detective ability. As soon as Bau disappeared in the elevator the sorrowful mask slid of the Commander's face like water. A satisfied grin had replaced it and the human hummed in delight.

"Are you that happy I'm dead, Shep? I thought we were friends, more then friends... You said such wonderful things about the late Kasumi Goto."

Shepard snorted at the empty room. Kass did not drop her cloak and this time all her skills could not tell the redhead where the thief was.

"Okay, you jokester. I still have work to do, but you can get out of sight. Go sneak aboard the Normandy. I loaded all the relevant pass-codes on your Omni-tool. You can wait for me in my cabin. Or do whatever as long as you are not seen by anyone."

"Anyone?" Even though Shepard could not see the thief's face, she definitely was pouting.

"Do I have to give you permission, really? I suppose, you'd expect that, but just how heartless do you think I am? Of course, you can see Liara."

"Thank you." the whisper was filled with genuine gratefulness.

"You both belong to me. I take care of my concubines. And I like to see you both happy. You can relax for now. We'll stay on the Citadel for a couple more days."

Shepard turned to go away, but stopped right at the exit still out of the earshot of the C-Sec personnel that was quarantining the area around the office. She crooked her neck glancing back with a corner of her eye.

"Just don't forget who's in charge, both of you. I'll be back tonight at some point. There's plenty of time for us to get properly reacquainted, my dear."

Hearing a sharp swoosh of exhaled air behind her Shepard strolled away from the hanar embassy with a devious smile on her lips. There were still things to take care: supply shipments to approve, deliver the prototypes to the doctor in Huerta, the annual visit to the secret garden... The last, but not least was the matter of Aria's apparently very valuable information. Curious, very curious.

**. . .**

It was fairly easy to avoid C-Sec, even easier to avoid the Alliance personnel. The training the Normandy skeleton crew had received was obviously not enough to notice the master thief cheerfully strolling through the main hangar and through the opened deck of the shuttle bay. She looked around curiously noticing the changes the Alliance engineers had made. The bay was busy with workers loading and unloading equipment, supply crates and ammunition load-outs. A group of of salarian and turian merchants was talking animatedly with a dark skinned man with a goatee. That would be a requisition officer. Not much interesting here.

Kasumi moved through the shuttle bay silently completely unnoticeable for the decent amount of people filling it up. She avoided running into a huge figure of a bodybuilder looking marine. She slid past him only sparing him a side look.

Before she met Shepard Kass would have probably stayed. Admired the movement of toned muscles while the marine was doing sit ups. But that was before. Now she knew exactly where true power lied. Muscles were nothing without the strength and fury to back them up. Something her Master never ceased to prove time after time.

The agile thief used the opportunity to get on the lift with a pair of crew members. Neither of them noticed her presence. The elevator rose up once and stopped at the Engineering level. The doors hissed open. That sound may have been her only saving grace as all the air was seemingly squeezed out of Kasumi's chest.

She was standing right there in front of her.

The lab-coat slash field armor was white and blue with the same scratches, bullet scraps and acid burns she could remember. Her hands were holding a datapad, blue eyes running through the lines of text in rapid swipes. And that grimace of slight annoyance at the problem she was just about to solve was familiar as well.

"Dr. T'Soni, are you getting on?" the brown haired crewman asked with a wave of his hand.

"Huh? What?" Liara was too deep in her thoughts to notice the door of the lift opening even though she was the one who called it up.

"You were daydreaming again, Doctor." said the blonde woman. She smiled at Liara waving her to get in.

"Oh, yes, sorry." stammered the asari visibly returning to her younger self. "I was too engrossed in the data Javik has provided. I need to get to my office to start analyzing it. I'm sorry, was I blocking your way?"

"No problem. We need to run some acquisition forms past Chief Adams." the male disembarked the elevator and moved briskly to the Engineering. The woman stayed for a moment looking up at the asari.

"You work too hard, Doc. Don't forget to come up for air once in a while. How about you join us for a game next shift change?"

"I don't know if I'll have the time. But thank you for the offer."

"Well, think about it. See you." the woman was gone from the view as the doors of the lift closed with a hiss.

Liara turned to the console about to press the glowing number three when a small voice sounded behind her.

"You really do work too much. I guess, I have to do something about it."

Asari spun around, one of her hands reaching for her absent weapon on instinct. The recognition hit her mid-motion and she froze. Her blue eyes widened. She reached out with her arms, still the incredulous expression on her face getting stronger.

"Kass?" the whisper was cautious, almost fearful.

But there she was. Invisible yet the feeling of her hands around Liara, the tactile feel of her suit brushing against the asari's fingers. The tingling of her breath at the crook of Liara's neck. Those were real.

"Oh, Goddess... I almost thought I was hearing things..."

"That would not surprise me, honey. As I said, you do work too much."

The blue face had split into a broad smile.

"What are you doing here? I thought you would be on a mission with Shepard."

"All done. Shep had more errands to run so she let me come here to wait for her... and to see you."

"Did she now..." Liara could not help, but melt in a comfortable embrace they were sharing. "How long are you going to stay?"

"A couple of days. As long as the Normandy stays on the Citadel."

"I assume, you are not allowed to be noticed."

"Yeah. With the exception of you and EDI no one is supposed to know I'm on-board."

"That would leave only one place for you to stay then."

The blue fingers pressed the number one on the console and the lift whizzed upwards. Master thief giggled against the familiar fabric of the white coat.

"What about your work? The data you received needs to be analyzed, right?"

"Oh, that can wait."

The elevator stopped. Doors opened with another hiss letting them out on a small platform before the locked entrance to Commander's personal cabin. Liara stepped up to it holding her had at the small of the invisible thief's back. The DNA scanner above them beeped and Kasumi had to drop her cloak to be scanned. They heard two beeps and the door swung open only to immediately close and lock itself behind them.

Kass moved purposefully to Shepard's couch plopping herself on it with a sigh of relief. She reached her hand for the minibar above the corner sofa getting the small gasses and a bottle of her favorite salarian drink that remedied her of sake. Then she noticed the silhouette standing close to her left.

Liara had her hands on her hips and was wearing a slightly exasperated frown.

"I haven't seen you for three months and this is what you do first? Get drinks? Not a kiss or a promise to make up for lost time? Do you even love me one bit?"

"Li..." drawled the master thief throwing her hood off. "Of course, I do. I'm just tired. Come sit with me, please?"

The blue asari pouted for a bit then sighed and lowered herself next to Kass. Trying to gather her thoughts for a proper reprimanding speech she suddenly felt a raven haired head lean on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, love, it's just had been hard to be away from you. And Shep. And Miri. I know, we have to get this thing done, but I hate it. I wish I could just sneak into a Reaper base and steal a big "I WIN" button..." she sighed heavily.

Liara could not find it in herself to stay mad at her lover after that confession. Why did that sly little vixen anyways turn her into goop with such ease?

"I can relate to that. I really missed you, Kass."

Liara leaned in prompting the head lying on her shoulder to move back and meet her for a kiss. It was tender, slow and reassuring. Though the reality of them finally being close, together again had quickly ignited the passion. They were kissing with a hunger, barely tamed desire not long after. Several long minutes later they parted trying to catch their breaths.

Kasumi smiled at her lover and moved away to pour the drinks. She handed one small glass to Liara and leaned back. As she gathered her legs up onto the sofa, the rest of her perched comfortably against Liara's shoulder.

"I'm sure you had plans for such an occasion, but can't we just rest now? Shep really wanted to catch up so I don't think I can do anything beyond making out at the moment."

"I see..." Liara drained her drink in one go and leaned in to nibble at the ear peaking out between the black tresses.

"Oh, come on!" exclaimed Kasumi incredulously, though still leaning into the caress. "I've been working all day in more ways then one. You know how Shep can get. I'm too tired to do anything."

Liara stopped her activity to look down into the gleaming eyes.

"Who said you are going to be the one doing anything? I think, I'll take that as a challenge."

**. . . **

Shepard got through explaining the location of the Dock the Normandy was docked at and the way the doctor could pick up the desired prototypes for the third time. And they say salarians are the smartest species! When Doc tried to thank her again, Shepard waved him goodbye and departed the Hospital.

Ash was still there, unconscious. Shepard did not elect to visit. What the woman needed was attention from doctors, not useless sitting by the bed. The hand-holding and all the other superstitious emotional remedies served only to annoy the Commander. The soldier was completely out of it, for cry out loud! If Williams was awake she could say all the right words, fake all the right emotions without meaning a note of it. This war had already required inhuman sacrifices of the redhead, getting a good soldier back into the fight by saying some meaningless things could not be any harder.

Commander left the Hospital by the staircase hidden in the corner. Most visitors did not knew it existed, more over most doctors had no clue. The ladder lead to a closed off inner courtyard. There were some benches spread around the small space. No one used this space yet the Keepers and automated systems kept it in pristine condition.

She left the courtyard immediately to find a tiny alleyway stretching between the tall buildings. The web of narrow passageways that separated many of the Citadels buildings on the Presidium had led her through the populated, busy main streets to more calm, rarely accessed areas.

Shepard had to squeeze through a very small access shaft at the end of one of those passage ways. She emerged in a dome underneath some building or a hull block of the Citadel. The inclosed space was bathed in warm light from the opening at the top. The whole floor was covered with plants. All kinds of plants: trees, bushes, grass and flowers. Somehow birds manged to sneak into this place. The air was filled with their singing. It was beautiful.

Barely anyone has ever came here. Aside from the Keepers, of course. Maybe at some point fifty thousand years ago this was a private garden of some important prothean General or a scientist. Most of the time it was abandoned by civilization.

She stepped carefully over the edge of the grass finding a small trail of rocks placed throughout the area. The big, flat boulders became sort of a walkway. Shepard hopped from stone to stone all the way to the middle of the dome.

There was a small pond there with an far larger rock placed in the middle of it. She proceeded to jump over boulders until she reached the most center. There was a small engraved plate placed there. It was obviously out of place. The sharp lines and edges looked wild in contrast to all the natural surroundings. The metal plaque had tiny black writing on it obscured by the dust and dirt from the water.

Commander squatted at the stone and gently removed all the dirt from the plaque. The engraving became visible, it read in calligraphic letters:

"_Husband, father, hero, lover. _

_Forever remembered._

_We will meet across the sea."_

Shepard sighed and a sad smile crept up to her lips. She placed several strikingly white flowers at the empty grave, the memorial was only for show – no body could be found here. She rose to her feet standing at full height. The redhead closed her eyes and put her hands together in a praying pose. A monotone restatement of an old prayer could be heard in the stillness of the dome. Even the birds piped down as if listening to the poetry, too.

"_Kalahira, this one's heart is pure,_

_but beset by wickedness and contention._

_Guide this one to where the traveler never tires,_

_the lover never leaves, the hungry never starve._

_Guide this one, Kalahira,_

_and she will be a companion to you as she was to me."_

Commander stood there for a long while afterward just taking in the peaceful, innocent atmosphere of that place. She inhaled and exhaled a chest full of sweet smelling air. Her voice was low, contemplating when she spoke next.

"I know you'd wanted me to ask for atonement for what I've done. But I won't. You were guided by someone else, all I did was done of my own free will. What was it you said, the gun or blade does not hold intention, only the hand that wields it? You were a blade, but I am the hand. I have to be uncompromising, ruthless as the cleansing storm. Maybe when this all is over I will be ready..." she chuckled. "No, I doubt it. I have never been more convicted. Whatever comes next, whatever came before – there is no place for regret in my heart or mind. Sleep well, I will take care of everything on this end."

The redhead nodded fiercely sending her hair in disarray. She turned on her heels and left the peaceful place in a blaze of swift movement without a single glance back. Her back could not have been straighter, her flaming gaze could not have been burning with more conviction. There was still one more matter to straighten out and to her immense satisfaction that matter will have to be cleared up in a bar. In a bar with a lot of booze, an unlimited amount of booze.

One of the large birds let out a loud, musical, somehow filled with sadness cry that echoed all about the dome just as Shepard was climbing in the narrow hole she emerged from before.

**. . .**

"_Aaaghhh!..."_

What was supposed to be a scream broke into trembling, pitiful whimper. The slender naked body standing at full height at the edge of the bed jerked violently again. Kasumi arched backwards shuddering with the last contraction and collapsed onto the bed. She tried to rise herself on her trembling arms to take a more comfortable position, but they gave out at the elbows leaving the exhausted thief sprawled flat on her stomach. She buried her face in the sheets.

That view seemingly satisfied the kneeling between her legs asari. She rose to her feet licking her lips and swiping the wetness off her chin and nose with the back of her blue hand. Liara climbed tentatively on top of her lover gently pushing her hands under Kasumi's armpits. She lifted her slightly off the sheets and helped her move a bit further up on the bed. Tired out thief was barely helping. As her raven haired head touched the pillows she let out a content sigh.

Liara rolled off arranging herself on her side and propping her head with one hand. The other hand was busy tracing curious lines of the intricate tattoo on the slender thief's back. Kass moved her arms underneath the pillow turning her head to rest on its side with apparent difficulty.

"Congratulations." her voice was uneven, low hoarse overtones periodically cracking with higher pitched noises. "I will take care not to challenge you ever again."

"Not ever?" the blue face brightened with a devilish smile.

"Ugh. Fine, maybe some time we can play that game. Or do you want to torment me more right now?"

Liara perched her lips putting on a mask of extreme thoughtfulness witch earned her a muffled snort from the other woman.

"No. I take it I have made my point. And anyway that's your fault for being away for so long."

"Li... It's not like I wanted to."

"I know, I know." asari's hand reached up the spine column moving the long black tresses away clearing the full view of Kass' back. "Do you want to sleep or wait for Shepard? Or get more drinks?"

"Let's just stay like this for a while. Shep said she's gonna be back after her business is done..."

"Witch means she'll be back late at night." continued Liara.

However much she overworked herself, the asari knew that Shepard worked even harder. She had become even more driven, almost obsessed ever since the Reapers landed on Earth. Shepard managed to be everywhere, to undertake more missions and assignments then ever. Raiding Cerberus bases, playing referee with the Council, searching for allies and resources – playing the role of a perfect Alliance soldier, the legendary first human Spectre. All that while directing or participating in multiple Shadow Team strikes, surveillance assignments, going with Liara over contacts management and endless lists of contingency scenarios.

And all this time Liara had been the only one there to relieve the mounting of pressure, the incredible amount of stress her Master had been under. Oh, how she wished right now that Miranda was here! Kass' presence was like a blessing, gentle balsam pouring over her tangled heart. As much as she wanted to help Shepard she knew only one person could get Jane to be completely at ease if only for a short while. The only person who called the mighty Commander by her first name.

She shook her head. This was not the time to think about it. They all has sacrificed for the greater good of the galaxy. It might sound pretentious, but that was the truth. And in any case, Liara was sure the next night the two of them could make Shepard sleep at ease without being bothered by the nightmares.

Smiling to her own thoughts Liara shifted her position placing her cheek on top of Kasumi's back. Tracing the lines of colored inc with the tips of her fingers she remembered something.

"Kass?"

"Mhhhum?" the humming answer was laced with content and warm feelings of utter satisfaction.

"You promised to tell me about this tattoo one day..."

The second the subject was brought up Liara felt the body underneath her cheek stiffening. Last time she wanted to know more about the tattoo all she got form Kasumi was a confirmation that it had to do with her past.

"Love, you don't have to tell me everything. Not until you're ready. How about you just tell me what the images mean?"

The slender asian let out a sigh.

"I don't even know how to... Do asari tattoos have meaning?"

"All asari tattoos have meaning. Sometimes it's widely known, sometimes they only mean something to the asari who gets them. Long ago it was customary for priestesses to get facial tattoos according to Athame doctrine. Several centuries ago it became popular to get matching tattoos after bonding with someone, but more traditional bonding bracelets won out."

"What about your white freckles?"

"Freckles?" she chuckled at the human comparison. "These symbolize a journey. Searching for truth. Discovery. Also an unyielding spirit. I was only sixty when I had gotten them. I was so very unsure of that last virtue, but it seems I had found it through my journey."

"That is nice." Kasumi paused obviously thinking hard about what or how to tell her or maybe if she should.

"Okay, I'll tell you the meaning behind it. You see the tree branch on the left side?"

"Yes."

Liara lifted her head and ran her fingers over the dark brown bark, then the thin branches covered in tender light purple, lilac and rose petals. The tattoo had been made by a true master: the petals looked as if just perturbed by a light breeze, one more waft of air and they would be whisked away right off the skin.

"It's a sakura tree. Some call them cherry blossoms. It grows on Earth, in Japan. It's an iconic part of japanese culture, actually. Those trees are beautiful and delicate when they are in bloom. But those blossoms are also too vulnerable, they can be blown off with the slightest wind. Sakura petals had traditionally been pink before we started to experiment with plant-life on genetic level. Now days there are groves that bloom with all the different colors people find beautiful... Or so I've heard."

She stopped to exhale a breath through her teeth because Liara choose that moment to bend down and start planting kisses along the branches. She traced every petal with her lips as if trying to connect with their meaning.

"It is a symbol of life and death; it's supposed to remind of how fragile, fleeting and precious yet breathtakingly beautiful living can be."

"That is an interesting way of thinking." Liara intermingled her words with more kisses. "I must admit, I haven't spend much time researching different Earth cultures. I was more curious about certain people."

The blue fingers swiped tenderly down past the final branch and settled on the small of Kass' back.

"What about this wave?" the asari asked.

"Water represents strength of life. Life originated in water, just like waves it rushes and flows, it always finds a way. Living in general and people can be strong, even ruthless by necessity like a storm, but once the need fades the storm subsides leaving only gentle, calm waves. This artwork is based on the old Earth artist Katsushika Hokusai. I have an original print of his "Great Wave off Kanagawa" in one of my storage vaults. Could already been destroyed by the Reapers for all I know."

Liara traced her fingers over the blue wave. It started below the tree on Kasumi's left hip and curved down the small of her back to rise up along the right side of her back almost to the middle of it. It was crowned with a diadem of sea foam. There were some stray petals flowing in the water so she pressed her lips to those as well.

Without waiting for the question Kasumi began explaining the last detail.

"There are two Koi featured, too. It's a kind of Earth fish."

She paused allowing Liara's fingers to inspect both silhouettes. The first Koi was curled at the small of her back as if fully submerged in the wave. It had black scales and big lilac eyes. The long fins and mustache-like tendrils were also touched by purple. The second fish was placed on Kass' right shoulder blade above the raging tsunami. It gave the impression of having sprang out of the water only a second ago. Blink – and it would be gone again. This Koi was silver with blue eyes and markings; the spray of water drops surrounded the fish almost sparkling in the imaginary sun.

"Those two are supposed to represent strength, determination and courage. A strong desire to succeed, become better, stronger, wiser. But they are also an uneasy pair. The duality of choice. A reminder that there's always different path to take. Still, an uneasy pair is also a bonded pair – one unable to exist without the other. It serves as a symbol of the struggle within and on the outside. One that will always be a part of me."

The gentle blue fingers froze. The change in tone was striking.

"What do you mean?"

Kasumi rose up with difficulty getting the blanket to cover them both with. She sighed as she was lying down and turning to her side. She reached back, got a hold of Liara's hand and pulled her towards herself. The next moment they were lying flush with one another the blue asari spooning the slender thief. Their legs tangled together under the blanket. Liara gingerly placed a kiss at the crook of Kasumi's neck.

"You really don't have to tell me at all if you do not want to."

The tattooed lips formed a sad smile. Kass' pressed the blue arm to close tighter around her.

"I want to, Li. I really do, but not now. I was born into a criminal family. The biggest Osaka-Kyoto Yakuza clan. They raised me. But they're all gone. I disappeared, changed my identity. The only thing I have left from that life is that tattoo. It's a long story and I really don't want to drag it out from the depths of my past. Could we leave it till this whole looming destruction of the galaxy thing is over?"

"Of course, whatever you want."

"Thank you, _Liara_."

Kasumi rarely used full names, but when she did it was important. The asari pushed them closer together reveling in the fact that they were both here. Liara did not need to know every secret, every tiny detail of her lover's life. There was one thing that she knew beyond the shadow of a doubt and this was a good time as any to reaffirm it.

"I love you, Kass."

"You too, blue." the thief giggled against the pillow.

"Oh, you tease!" exclaimed Liara trying to bite on the ear of this sly, cunning vixen. Then the vixen suddenly was nose to nose with her locking their lips in a tender kiss. After they broke apart the tattooed lips murmured against the blue ones.

"I love you."

She pulled closer to Liara finding a comfortable spot at the nook above her breast. The thief's breathing steadied and she relaxed completely.

"Lights." the doctor commanded and as the cabin drifted into darkness so did they.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: **I have pretty much accepted that this story will have exceptionally long chapters for what it is. Makes up for the wait, I guess. Anyways, just one thing before you get going: the scene with Aria in Purgatory will be re-told and continued from Aria's POV in the next chapter. All the usual warnings apply.

* * *

Chapter IV

For some inexplicable reason Purgatory was always pretty crowded. Shepard strolled through the main entrance with a frown on her face. Shepard did not like the bar, there was something in-your-face fake about the place. It reeked of hypocrisy. Now that the bar was filled with all kinds of people trying to distance themselves from the realities of the war, the setting felt even more dishonest. People were dancing, partying, drinking and laughing at the bar, but the unwavering weight in the air was undeniable. The weight of the elephant in the room or rather a Thresher Maw these people were trying to avoid.

Commander did not despise the bar in quite the same way Aria did. However, she could not deny the superiority of Afterlife. At least Aria's establishment did not try to be something it was not. Afterlife had been unashamedly, brutally honest. It was always full of the worst scum in the Terminus Systems and aside from the annual spectacular bar fights everyone had found a way to coexist and have fun. Of course, not the least among reasons that system worked so well was the one rune of Omega and the consequence of breaking it. But as long as you behaved no one gave two shits. Do what you want, drink what you like, and, naturally, tip well. Shepard grew quite fond of that place during the Collector mission.

The redhead entered the main hall and stepped aside hiding in the shadows to the left of the door. She scanned the room with a disapproving grimace. Right next to her a pair of marines were having an animated conversation. Standing unnoticed in the shadows Shepard listened.

"Heeey! You ready to get this party started?" asked the female soldier with short black hair.

"Hey, Mel, you're, uh, here." answered the other marine, he could use a shave though, thought Shepard absentmindedly.

"Hell, yeah I'm here! For the next 48 hours, I'm spending as much time in this bar as humanly possible!"

"Yeah, we had the same thought. So the bar's over there, and, uh..."

"Hey is the whole squad here? Hey, guys!" interrupted the woman waiving enthusiastically to the group of marines seated and standing around the table down below.

"Um, yeah. We were going to.. have a... guys.. night..." continued the marine getting more awkward by the minute.

"Do you guys have a tab? Where are the dancers? I want dancers."

"Well the dance floor is over there."

"Not dancers, dumbass! _'Dancers.' _I'm here for shore leave, not the Viennese Waltz."

"I don't... um..."

The exchange made the Commander smile, slightly improving her foul mood. It was quite entertaining to watch this guy fall apart.

"Oh, come on!" the woman drawled slyly. "If there's an ass shaking somewhere on this station, you guys know where it is!"

"_I like this girl, Mel, was it?" _thought Shepard. _"Though, if she wanted real ass shaking, this dump was a poor choice."_

"Seriously, hook me up, here." continued Mel unabashed by her comrade's shuffling. "I had a few on my way in, but I need something cheap and fruity. Like you."

"Listen, Mel..."

"And then I want to see some dancers. And not just crappy pole work. Like, take the raunchiest thing you can imagine, and then add a hanar hanging on somewhere."

"Mel! Listen, the guys are kind of weirded out by you being here."

"Why are the guys weirded out? Do they think I'm gonna want guys dancing? 'Cause I'm fine with asari."

"No, they're..."

"This one act I caught on Illium? She starts dressed as a commando, but by the end... well, I never looked at the shotgun the same way again."

Shepard had to fight the strong desire to grab that girl and drag her to some dark corner of the club where she could pin her to the wall and release some pent up tension. Mel would like it, Commander could guarantee that. And she would never look at a commanding officer the same way again, too.

"No, it's because you're a woman!" it seems the guy was finally getting to the point.

"What the hell? I'm a woman? Holy crap, I'm a woman! Where did these tits come from?"

"Mel, listen..."

"Were they cloaked? Are they infiltrator tits? Could there be more of them hiding?"

Shepard sniggered putting a hand over her mouth. This conversation was getting way more interesting. And that girl was becoming more and more attractive.

"Nobody is denying that you are a great soldier." caved in the bastard.

"What is this, my damned eulogy? Shut up and buy me a drink!"

"The guys came here to, you know, be guys. And they don't think they can do that with you here."

"Why not?" Mel was oblivious at first, but then she had an epiphany. "Wait, are you guys gonna get bare-assed? Do you need me to get bare-assed?"

"_Great idea, I wouldn't mind that."_

"What? No! God, no!"

"_Coward."_

"Wait, is this 'cause you all secretly want to nail me? Well, secretly except for Richards. He wrote poetry."

"No, nobody wants to... poetry?"

"Well, it didn't rhyme, but I think it was a prose poem. Or else he was hammered and messed up his punctuation."

"_Be glad it wasn't krogan poetry, girl."_ thought Shepard remembering the loverboy on Illium.

"No, listen, it's not like that..."

"So am I one of the guys or not?"

"Mel, you are totally one of the guys."

"So buy me a damned drink, dumbass. And let's find some dancers. Perky ones."

"All right, deal. And later on we're gonna kick Richards' ass."

"Damn, I love shore leave." admitted the woman longingly.

They went down the steps to rejoin the group of marines at the table. The tall blond guy on the left received a harsh shove from the marine that was having this very amusing conversation. Richards, surmised the redhead. She debated about going down there and finding a way to drag Mel out of the party and somewhere secluded, but thought better of it. This was not the right time for pleasure. Maybe after, if Aria was not going to drag her heels haggling for the information like some dirty Omega scrap dealer.

She pushed off the wall and made her was up the dais. The usual spot claimed by the regal asari was empty. Shepard looked around hoping to at least locate one of the several henchmen Aria dragged with her everywhere. Then Shepard noticed a well build batarian in dark, covered with scratches armor walking towards her. The woman smiled. Shepard appreciated this particular batarian, one of the most trusted among Aria's henchmen. He was no fool and the redhead did like his straight forward attitude.

"Hey, Bray! So you get the butler duty again, I see?" she said with a smirk.

"There are far worse things to do, Shepard." answered the batarian keeping up with their usual banter. "Aria got a private cabinet for the day. I'll show you the way."

They moved through the sea of people mirroring each others disgusted frowns. The cabinet in question turned out to be a large sound proof room at the other end of the establishment. Naturally, several of Aria's bodyguards were stationed at the entrance. Shepard waved to Bray and stepped inside letting the doors shut behind her with a characteristic whoosh of internal security. The thumping noise of the dance floor had withered away instantly.

The room was covered with red. Everything from the walls to the big couch and specially stylized tables and chairs was it's specific shade of scarlet. The lighting, however, was of all kinds of blue and purple. It changed slowly, but steadily moving from light blue to the deepest violet in a way that was not dizzying, but rather relaxing. The table before the red couch was filled with drinks. Bottles of all possible colors were lined up in curious patterns. Plates of appetizers were perched at the very edges making it plain who the boss of the table was. An enormous bottle of Shepard's favorite booze was reflecting blinks of the unusual light in the very center of impressive alcoholic display. Noverian rum. Rich deep brown liquid with sudden blazes of amber.

In the middle of the couch leisurely reclined among the red was the Queen of this extravagant cabinet. Aria draped herself over the comfortably looking piece of furniture looking as much in control of everything as she always were on Omega. Well, maybe just a tiny bit less perfectly in her own element. She did despise this worthless club after all.

"Shepard." greeted the asari. "Nice of you to finally grace me with your presence. I could swear I had mentioned the information would go to someone else if you keep me waiting."

"Aria." nodded the Commander with a certain air of familiarity.

Shepard could see how the purple lips tensed for a second, barely noticeable if she did not know when and what to look for. Aria did not take kindly to people who acted as her friends, who were too familiar. She was supposed to be regarded with fear, respect, admiration, maybe even adoration in some cases. Commander had been to enough parties at Afterlife to pick up on many of the high and mighty Queen's little tells. Aria did not like it, but she tolerated the Spectre, even has gone out of her way to accommodate.

Like this ostentatious display of Noverian rum. Shepard knew for a fact that Aria's favorite drink was Serrice Ice brandy, something the Queen of Omega and the Normandy's medical officer – two people that could not be more removed from one another – had in common. Why did she continued to have a supply of the rum readily available whenever the redhead was around? Shepard smirked at his drinking companion. It seems Aria enjoyed their occasional competitions of who can drink whom under the table more then she'd liked to show.

"What are you smiling at? I just told you, you have waited for too long, Shepard. No deal."

"Whatever." the redhead waved her hand dismissively. "Do whatever you want, your highness. I'm here for the booze, anyway. And it's not like you owe me or anything."

She plopped on the couch just a stretched arm's length away from Aria and busied herself with pouring the drinks. Just out of the corner of her eye Shepard could see the Queen of Omega frowning. She did not like to be reminded of being in debt to anyone. There was a minute's battle on her face, carefully measured, of course, and then she squeezed the words out of mouth.

"Fine. You get the information. But I expect some favors on the Alliance part in return. Here," she activated her Omni-tool and send some files to Shepards, they have done enough business together to know the pairing activation keys. "It's the location of one of Cerberus labs. They are studying Reaper tech, I thought you might be interested."

Commander Omni-tool buzzed in acknowledgment of received data packet. Shepard did not bother to check, that information will have to go through Liara before they make it available to Hackett and the Alliance. Instead the Spectre offered the purple skinned asari a glass full of gleaming liquid.

"Serrice Ice, you do think you know me so well, Shepard." quipped Aria taking the glass non the less.

However, when she took the glass out of Commander's hand her purple fingers brushed past the human ones. Shepard glanced at her in question, but Aria took a sip of her drink like nothing had happened.

"Right, I never claimed such omniscience as to know everything. Thanks for the info, though. I'll try to smooth things over with the Alliance."

Shepard sighed, she was not in the right mood to play the Queen's etiquette games. That spark of fun Mel's amusing conversation had given her, had somehow managed to die out. She was yet again drowned by mourning, the anger at the galaxy, dark gloomy thoughts on the prospects of the fight. How many more friends, loved ones she had to loose, how many everyone had to loose before this all will be over? The fact that it _will_ be over, that they will win, was absolute in her mind, everything else – not so much.

The redhead slumped forward in her seat holding the glass with both her palms close to her chin. The rich brown liquid with the ever so elusive yellow gleam sloshed around in the glass. Noverian rum. Strong, buzzing, heavy and with a kicker of an aftershock. It was exactly what she needed. Of course, Shepard knew she will have to pay for it later, but right now...

The Spectre emptied her glass and poured another right away. This bottle will not stay full for long.

Next to her on the couch the Queen of Omega relaxed back onto the red velvet cushions. She glanced secretly at the Commander trying to read her expressions, the movement of her body. It would be easy to get her drunk. Aria did not plan to take advantage of the drunken haze Shepard will undoubtedly be in soon, not in the way anyone would think. Seduction had to be played by the rules or it won't be right. An easy victory is not a victory at all. Aria relished a challenge, in war as well as in bed. At least, some of the time.

"Shepard, why are you in such an awful mood?" drawled Aria in what she supposed was enough of a concerned manner. She reached out with her hand running it over the Commander's back. _"Unf..." _The purple fingers could feel the tantalizing shape of well-defined muscles.

Shepard took another generous sip of her liquor.

"It's an anniversary of sorts today." grumbled Shepard slowly. "Someone close to me died on this day."

Aria said nothing. On one hand, she knew the pain of real loss, she even was invested in her working relationship with the Spectre and her private plans for that lovely body of hers to sympathize a bit; on the other hand, Aria could not care less about the person Shepard lost. Naturally, neither of these facts could be spoken out loud so she just waited for her often times drinking companion to get to the point.

"Aria, do you ever get hurt by the loss of comrades, people close to you? The ones who fight by your side?"

"No." answered the asari flatly. This conversation was starting to go in the wrong direction.

Shepard waited a moment, then she chuckled and rolled her eyes.

"Yes, what have I been thinking!... You don't have people close to you. Thus no one can disappoint you, or hurt you by dying off. That must be nice." the redhead paused, contemplating something. "What about that turian on Omega?"

"What about her?" deflected Aria getting agitated, Shepard was going places no sane person ever should. Unless they wanted to die in an assortment of very painful ways.

"You two were through, but it must have stung, right? Her death, that idiotic sacrifice for a bunch of no-name civilians must have gotten to you. Aria, you have charged into the Generals trap without a second thought after that."

"I am not discussing it, Shepard. You are walking a thin line."

Shepard rose her head to look at the regal asari. Those green eyes were already glossing over with the drunken haze. There was something odd in her gaze. Aria shuddered internally when she identified the hidden expression. Empathy. The Commander was identifying with her loss. What was it that compelled the human to seek connection with_ her _of all people? The infamous renegade Queen of lawless Omega! Most powerful crime boss in the whole Terminus! The ruthless, egoistical, self-absorbed, unwavering in her quest for power and sole rule of her domain. How come Shepard – a force to be reckoned with in her own right – was appearing sincere, trying to find common ground for both of them?

Aria's eyes clashed with Shepard's. It was not clear if the redhead saw through carefully erected barriers of mental control Aria has been building up for centuries. If she glimpsed past the lies and the role the Queen had been playing for such a long time. Ever since coming to the station that was destined to become her fortress, a kingdom worthy of a ruler as cunning and as powerful as she was; ever since that day a no-name stripper started out wiggling around a pole in Afterlife, the stripper that would rise to sit on the throne above, since that day she had allowed herself to open up only twice.

And both times it had made her weak, vulnerable. When her daughter returned to her mother's side, she had let her. How did that end? With Liselle bleeding out in her own bed! The fury she felt back then, the uncontrollable rage witch had driven her out of control! A mistake she had paid for. And then there was the turian. Young, inexperienced biotic – a rare, intriguing trait for a turian – full with hope for a better life, but also bitter about the way her own kind treated her out of fear. Perfect mold for her manipulative ways.

Well, that one did not turn out like she wanted either. Aria thought Nyreen left, she was pretty clear when the time came to have the talk. _The talk! _Ugh! What a banal, simpleton way of describing the announcement she was fucking off! The asari thought Nyreen left, ended things and gone back to her honorable, ethically unquestionable deeds somewhere far away in another corner of the galaxy. Aria thought she let her go, forgot about the turian like any other brief conquest she enjoyed over the years. Until she appeared out of nothing at the most critical time messing everything up. Her presence caused Aria to make mistakes, to falter in her conviction even if just under the surface.

No, it was idiotic! Nyreen was a shadow of the past. An annoying, sour reminder of what happens when you get too attached to someone. Aria had learned that lesson or at least she thought she did. Evidently she was wrong.

Dammit, why did she had to be there?! Being her usual white knight superimposing icon of all that is good and noble! Why did Nyreen had to bring up all that _emotion_ in her again? Why did she had to go out like that, the stupid, pathetic hero?!

The burning eyes were locked in wordless debate. Sharing was not something either of the owners of blazing green and blue pairs was good at.

"Okay, whatever, I'll drop it." finally retreated Shepard.

She got back to her drink savoring several gulps. Tense silence lingered in the air for some time only interrupted by the sounds of slouching booze in their glasses, sips and gulps and more pouring of two different liquids.

"Watching Nyreen... It was displeasing." It probably took a lot for the Queen to admit that.

Shepard drank some more. She let out an ironic, dark laugh.

"Yeah, but at least you got to complete your revenge. Thane... He died from a disease! How can you get revenge on an illness? I wish there was something I could choke to death back then... You had it easy, Aria."

"What?!" backed up the asari in indignation. How dare she...!

Shepard sniggered into her drink. It was the redhead's turn to crook her neck and give the Queen a patronizing grin.

"Calm down, your highness. It's a good thing to have it easy. Got any other enemies you wanna choke?Let's go, I'd watch. I have enemies a bit too big for close up and personal. Gotta use a giant gun. Or a dozen."

Aria reclined her head on the back of the couch, the folds of her crest got trapped awkwardly between the red velvet and the wall, it did not matter. What Shepard said reminded her of what she was thinking about before. Liselle. Even though Petrovsky did not kill Nyreen, the turian sought to that herself out of the most moronic sense of self-righteousness, he was directly responsible for the setup. However, there was someone who killed her daughter. Personally. And he will have to pay for it sooner or later.

Aria spoke in a cold, leveled voice. She could not put a beat on why exactly, yet she spoke anyway, most of the mysterious mask of the Queen slipping off of her.

"There is one more enemy I want to take revenge on. Works for Cerberus. He took something from me, something precious. I would enjoy his long, painful death a thousand times more than Petrovsky's. He is a human though, so I don't think I will be needing giant guns, Shepard, my bare hands will suffice."

"It's good to have a tangible, flesh and blood target, isn't it?" drawled Shepard looking into the depths of her glass. "If you'd like company for that endeavor, I'm willing to lend a hand. Or a giant gun just in case."

"For an undertaking as important as killing that bastard, I take all the help I can get. Shepard," Aria pursed her lips, she was not sure why she was doing it, playing along with Shepard's whim. "if you come across any information on the Cerberus operative going by the name Kai Leng, let me know."

"You got a deal."

They drank their drinks. They poured new ones. It took some time for the booze to push the dark, depressing thoughts out of their minds. The redhead looked at Aria sideways with a gleam of the more appropriate drunken irony in her eyes.

"You know, this time we will have to drink double. It's that sort of a day. Still, I'm gonna go out of here on my own legs and you are gonna be passed out on that lovely couch."

"Dream on, Shepard!" rebutted Aria. "You haven't managed to out drink me thus far, and you won't be able to. I have had drinking bets with krogan and won! What are you expecting to do differently?"

"You'll see. Well, your highness, the rules are the rules. Your turn."

Aria grimaced at the tone, then gave Shepard a patronizing grin. It seems they woven those kinds of smiles into their usual banter. She took the shot glass with a firm hand.

"You know, I can be a team player, Commander." she emptied her shot in one go hiding a cunning smile behind the edges of the glass.

"_Watch me, Shepard! You won't last a day before running back to me for more! Let the game begin!"_

**. . . **

Liara woke up with a small jerk. She was trapped in-between two bodies. It wasn't completely unpleasant. Three pairs of legs were tangled together under the sheets. Liara looked down. The raven haired thief was snuggled up to her collarbone snoozing contently unperturbed by her waking. Liara tried to disengage carefully with a smile on her face. Kasumi murmured something in her sleep and graciously agreed to substitute a pillow for the comfortable embrace of blue skin.

The asari pulled herself in sitting position. She had to remove one muscled arm off her thigh. The rest of Shepard's body was sprawled wide on the bed. The redhead was lying on her stomach with the sheet only covering her below the waist. Liara could see the well-defined muscles on her back going up and down with Shepard's heavy breathing. Her head was burrowed somewhere deep within the pillow, chaotic mess of red locks obscuring her face completely.

Liara hummed under her breath. This was almost perfect. She wondered for a moment about how the two human women Liara had on either side of her used to sleep in such different positions. Shepard always sprawled out in her sleep taking up more and more space. She liked to sleep on her back or stomach. Kasumi was the complete opposite. The thief clung to the person next to her, sometimes she would settle for a pillow, coiling on her side and holding it close.

Shepard groaned in her sleep. Something was wrong with her. Liara reached out running her hand over the freckled shoulder. It was hot, very hot. The blue hand traveled on moving the rebellious scarlet hair out of the way. Shepard's face, the little of it that was not burrowed in the pillow, was reddened.

The asari looked around the room. Her and Kass' clothes were folded neatly on the couch where their adventures of the previous evening began. The floor, however, was littered with more articles of clothing. Blue Alliance fatigues, black military pants, heavy boots. Liara located a pair of matching black underwear next to the bed.

According to the evidence Shepard was drunk when she got back. She got rid of her clothes on the way and slipped into bed with them, yet the redhead cared enough even in her state not to wake them. Liara's slime broadened then faded a little. The odd part was that it was really hard for Shepard to get drunk in the first place. The cybernetic implants reinforced her immune system so much that most known toxins simply had no effect.

There were of course exceptions to the rule. Liara frowned. Noverain rum. The famous intoxicant was conceived with biotics in mind. Its strength and staying power rivaled that of ryncol, but without the explosive aftereffects of losing organ functionality. Noverian rum long has become one of the most popular drinks among the asari – a naturally biotic species with heightened metabolism - and the more sophisticated krogan, however few there were of those.

The product of noverian scientists was the only thing that could get the Commander drunk after her time under the wing of the Lazarus Project leader. It somehow always got around her implants. Although the redhead had to pay for the release of drunken haze, the hangover in the morning was far worse and more dangerous experience for her than any other normal person. The usual headache, nausea and dizziness were accompanied by her implants heating up and overexerting her muscles in tireless attempts to clean all the toxins out of her body.

Aria. Only she could have dared to get the Commander drunk and she was the only one outside of people in this room, Miranda and Garrus who knew about the way the rum affected Shepard. Liara heard the stories from the others, including Shepard herself, about the drinking nights at Afterlife during the Collector mission. The redhead used to celebrate their victories as well as drown their failures with Noverain rum back then. And every time Miranda was the one putting her back together again the next morning.

The archeologist sighed. She did not want to wake her, by all signs Shepard had a long and eventful night. The redhead could not have been asleep for more than five hours. Yet the consequences of her hangover would be severe if not attended right away. The asari bend down to the freckled ear carefully moving the red mess of hair aside.

"Shepard, wake up." her voice was quiet, but strong enough to carry to the sleeping woman.

The redhead growled and tried to retreat deeper between her pillows.

"Get up! It's time to treat your implants."

Shepard moved wearily, her head slowly emerging from the pillow lair. She propped herself on her elbows and turned her squished face to Liara. She glowered with only slightly bleary green eyes at her. Her mouth opened no doubt preparing to berate the asari for waking her, but it was prevented from speaking by one quickly raised to it hand.

"Kasumi is still asleep." warned Liara quietly.

The redhead rolled her eyes, but remained silent. She flipped around lying back down on her back, stretching her arms and legs. Shepard breathed in and out deeply. Liara noted how certain areas of her skin were reddened, how the web of subdermal scarring glowed brighter with more alarming red, rather than the usual warm orange.

"Shower, now." ordered Liara pulling away the sheet and pushing Shepard to get up.

The redhead groaned, rolled off the bed onto her feet. She muttered something under her breath waiting for the asari to crawl over the bunched up sheets and up on her blue feet as well. She put her just as blue hands on the freckled shoulders directing Shepard towards the shower.

"You are forgetting who's in charge, asari." said Commander on the way. However, her voice held no danger, only grogginess and annoyance of the early morning.

"Right now, I am in charge of taking care of you. And if you don't like it, maybe you should not drink as much."

Shepard clicked with her tongue as they were entering the shower cabin.

"Aren't we cocky today! It sounds almost like someone gotten some kind of permission."

"I did. From the highest authority."

The redhead turned around with an ironic smirk.

"Really?" she chuckled.

"Yes." Liara kept her features serious. "Miranda told me to take care of you and that's exactly what I am going to do."

The fearless Commander visually deflated at the words. She remained silent for a moment, then without uttering a word she turned to the shower. The redhead put her hands on the wall leaning on them heavily and dropping her head. Shepard did not flinch as the cool, brisk water rained on her. She did not move as the blue hands began spreading green soapy balsam over her shoulders. Slowly the redhead let herself relax under the gentle movements. She allowed the asari full freedom to move her body as she pleased. Liara massaged the medicine into the muscles paying special attention to the reddened areas.

Fifteen minutes later Shepard's skin returned to its familiar color. The scars became barely noticeable shining with warm orange again. Letting Shepard relax with her back against the wall Liara turned the nobs on the shower panel. The water changed to warm, just the right temperature to rejuvenate the cooled down bodies.

Shepard breathed out. She felt good, as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. The implants stopped burning; her muscles were enjoyably freed of tension, the dizziness, slight swimming in her eyes and pumping of blood in her ears – all cleared up. She reached out and tugged Liara towards her. The asari stumbled landing square into Shepard's less strong, but still secure embrace.

"Thank you for taking care of me." murmured she against the blue lips.

"Any time."

Their lips met in a grateful kiss. The redhead was too relaxed to be her usual forceful self. Instead she held the asari close deepening their kiss in an action of genuine affection. Parting their lips further Shepard wrapped her tongue around Liara's. Her hand moved from one blue hip, up the slim waist and then tried to slip in-between their bodies.

Liara ended the kiss with a loud smack. She slid back away reading the redheads intentions easily. After separating from their tight embrace the asari got a hold of Shepard's hand.

"Not this time. It's dangerous to overexert your implants right now. Just relax and enjoy yourself." she gave her a sly smirk. "You would not mind if I service you, Master?"

Shepard had to admit her body was put in a very mellow, airy state. It was not the way she'd like to take her favorite concubine in. She grinned. Letting her pet have a little fun from time to time was something Shepard was never opposed to. She did always put so much effort into pleasing her, why not? But not before getting the rules sorted, it would not be as fun if Shepard did not tease her lovely toy a bit.

"Alright, pet. Do what you will. You have earned the privilege. Don't you feel proud?"

"I do."

"And you reeeeally want to please me, don't you?"

"I do." conceded Liara swallowing.

"Will you get off on it? On my pleasure, on the way your fingers and mouth and tongue will make me shiver, tighten, quiver with anticipation of release? Will you want to get yourself off at the same time? Would you want to meld with me, to shared the mind-shattering orgasm?"

The asari fidgeted under the raining drops of warm water, she opened her mouth just a bit and was looking at Shepard with such longing. Shepard could see the rising sexual desire fighting with worry and real medical concerns on the blue face. The redhead knew witch would win eventually, but the struggle did not leave her untouched. There was an easier way to put those fighting emotions to rest, and Liara had been so accommodating already...

"Well, you are not allowed to. I want you to service _me_, not yourself. Witch means no melding, no rubbing, and definitely no touching of your own body, got that?"

"Yes, Master." answered the asari lowering her gaze.

Still, Shepard could tell how relieved Liara was. There was no need to decide anymore, she got an order and had to follow it. Liara was freed of her own responsibility, she did not have to fight with herself and try to do what's right, to deny her own desires. All she had to do was to surrender to her Master and give all of her over to the task at hand.

"Go on, whatever you want, my good little toy."

Liara straightened up and stepped forward pressing their bodies flush to one another again. She lowered her head to plant kisses over the curve of Shepard's neck. The blue hands ran along the sides of the muscled body sliding freely over the wet skin. Liara's lips started to travel lover, however she lingered at the throat and the collarbone sucking on the skin. She ran her tongue up Shepard's throat all the way up to her chin flicking it with the tip of her tongue before finally engulfing the Commander's mouth with her own.

This time it was Liara's tongue that trapped Shepard's and coiled around it. She primed the human's mouth open getting their tongues to intertwine in an open-mouthed kiss. When Shepard moved in to answer the asari broke the seal closing her lips on Shepard's tongue tugging and suckling on it. A low moan had been trapped in her throat and Liara had to let go of Shepard's tongue to let it out. She was getting aroused rapidly, it was becoming hard to resist the urge to rub her whole body against the strong, warm form of her Master.

Liara swallowed and changed her position. She moved back just a bit creating some distance between them. Lowering her head she returned to planting deep kisses from one collarbone to the other. Her fingers explored the length of Shepard's strong arms barely touching the skin, from the wrists to the shoulders, then slowly inwards to the slightly bruised skin on her collarbones. And then lower still. As the blue palms cupped a feel Shepard let out a low grunt.

Liara lowered herself to her knees electing to skip some of the body parts she would have liked to give more attention to in favor of keeping her focus. Yet the tightening muscles of Shepard's abdomen were too incredible under the stream of water to resist. The blue lips ran a string of kisses over the hardened, well trained muscles, her hands caressed the strong waist, lowered to the powerful hips that always found a way to leave Liara breathless, clutching at them if she was allowed to.

She outlined the muscles slowly with the tip of her tongue moving down the abdomen to the place she wanted to explore more then any other. Her chin was greeted by the tickling sensation of Shepard's red hair. The redhead kept a small trail of it on her crotch for some reason, but whatever that reason was the asari could only delight in the fact. However, she had the patience to do her task properly. Her hands ran over Shepard's legs moving inwards and beginning to trace complex patterns on her inner thighs.

Liara added her mouth to her fingers suckling on the skin in the tentative region where Shepard's legs connected to her pelvis. The redhead leaned her hips into the motion spreading her legs wider. Liara smiled against the warm skin. Then, slowly, finally, she nestled her head firmly between her Master's wide spread legs and closed her mouth over Shepard's pussy. The folds spread invitingly wet not only from the streams of water from the shower. Liara took in the dizzying smell, tasted the wetness of her Master on her lips.

She spread the folds with her fingers kissing, suckling on the pink flesh, but not going any deeper or touching the red bud of Shepard's clit. Suddenly she felt a strong hand rest on the back of her crest. With a tug at her naval Liara fully realized just who it was she was pleasing right now. The events of last night, Kasumi returning and taking care of Shepard put her in such a calm mood, she began to forget the rules. Liara swallowed. This time feeling the taste of her Master in her mouth burned, snapping her back to reality.

Without any other incentive aside from the firm hand on her head she put her mouth straight on the hood over Shepard's clit. She sucked hard on it, then moved the lips aside with her tongue. She ran her tongue flatly over the swollen bud and felt Shepard's hips buckle towards her. The hand put some pressure on her head guiding her into the best position. Liara found her mouth buried in Shepard's pussy, her nose was touching the hairs on her crotch making the asari herself burn with arousal.

Shepard was almost straddling her face. She rose her eyes up along the tensed up muscles, the swell of breasts one of witch was being knead by the other freckled hand. Then she met her Master's gaze. It wasn't mellow like before, strength and lust returned to it. That gaze did amazing things to her body. Liara blinked and tried to keep her focus, something that was harder and harder to do. Her own body tinged with sensations, the ache between her thighs was rapidly becoming overbearing. Liara knew there were black flakes of the suppressed meld flowing in her eyes.

Flicking her tongue over Shepard's clit again it dove lover to the tensed ring of muscles at the entrance. Liara circled it once, twice. Her lips continued to suckle on the folds of pink flesh every time her tongue finished another circular movement. Then feeling the hand on her crest tightening she put it straight to the entrance and pushed it in with one smooth motion.

The redhead grumbled from above grabbing her head with both hands and forcing the rhythm. Her hips rocked forward greedily, reaching for more contact, better angle, more pressure. Liara could only adjust to the rhythm, letting her tongue slip in and out, then over the wet folds, suckling on the swelling further bud of Shep's clit when she was allowed to. The water pouring from the shower combined with the wetness of the redhead's pussy made her mouth release sloshing noises every time the asari broke contact for breath.

The race continued what seemed like forever. Liara felt the muscles around her tongue and lips tightening with contractions, but not quite going over the edge. Once, twice, more and more. It was maddening. She felt her own need rising ever stronger. She could deal with it, though. Liara was taught how to hold release for hours at a time, she would not fail this time. What stung the most was that she could not make her Master come. She had failed at her task. Tears ran down her cheeks barely noticeable with all the water from the shower hitting her face as well.

Suddenly her head was dislodged from the nestled position between Shepard's thighs, she was lifted by the throat arm and thrown at the other wall below the shower head. Liara landed on it hard with her back slammed flat against the warmed up metal surface. The next second she felt her hands being grabbed and put together palms forward in front of her stomach. She felt the weight of another body press firm to hers. Her legs were forced shut tightly together and trapped between the other pair.

When the swimming in her eyes from the sudden change in position, being hit on the wall and a fair amount of water everywhere, cleared up a bit, she saw Shepard pressing down on her with curious expression on her face. It was not angry or disapproving, it was greedy, but at the same time tender, appreciative. Such an expression was a rare sight to see on the Spectre's freckled face. She brushed the thumb of her right hand over Liara's cheek, the left was still holding both of her arms locked down below. It almost seemed like she knew that not all the wetness there came from the shower.

The redhead lowered her head whispering right next to Liara's crest.

"You did well, pet. Pushed me almost past the limit of control. So well in fact that I'm going to give you something very special as a reward. You get to feel me this time."

The human pulled on Liara's arms to move lower, then towards her. When blue fingers reached their destination Liara gasped. Her eyes flipped to Shepard's face in silent question.

"Yes, dove. Put them in. Don't you know, I reward my loyal, obedient pets with nothing but the best."

Shepard nibbled at her jawline grazing the skin with her teeth in the process. "Come on, go in. As hard and fast or as gentle as you please. But since you will be able to meld with me very soon, I'd think you would be up for the first option. Don't you want to feel how _your_ fingers will make me feel, dove?"

Liara swallowed. Shepard could be as forceful and vicious as a wild animal in heat, but she was also incredible at slow, measured, methodical seduction. She braced herself and moved her fingers. She knew the way the redhead's lips would part, knew the wetness she found inside. But the feeling of slowly pushing three fingers past her entrance from this angle was something completely different.

Shepard kept her hold on her arms so the asari could only move her fingers and wrists. As she began to move her fingers feeling the walls clenching at the movement there came a voice whispering mere inches away from her crest.

"Good. Can you feel my muscles tightening? The way they quiver under your finger-pads? Each intentional or unintentional flick bringing me closer to release." the redhead breathed hot air at the tender folds of Liara's neck making her whole body shudder. The way Shepard described her every move made the asari singe with the need to meld, the ache between her legs became and all out fire.

"Yes, good girl. You found your initiative, or was it courage? Can you feel me tugging on your fingers when you pull them out, can you feel me spreading, welcoming you when you move back in? Would you like to feel just how much pleasure you give me with those slow, smooth strokes? Ooh... Fuck. Bending your fingers? There you go, touching the places you could never reach before!"

Liara was breathing heavily, she could not push a moan past her throat. She bend her fingers exploring the depths of Shepard's pussy, all the ways the muscles quivered with desire, the way the redhead's hips buckled when she scraped at the walls, the gushing wetness flowing with the shower water over the palms of her hands. Still pumping her fingers smoothly Liara wiggled her trapped hand from below the other, her thumb being just in the right position now. She flicked hard at the swollen, brimming with arousal clit with her fingernail.

Shepards body jerked violently, the redhead almost lost her grip on Liara's arms. She growled and sank her teeth in the sweet nook where the asari's jawline connected to her neck. Liara felt her own wetness smearing her tightly pressed together thighs. What Shepard was doing, her voice and breath at her neck, the tug of her welcoming tightness around her fingers, the press of her body flush over her own, all of it was bringing the asari to the brink of loosing all remaining restraint. Her eyes were almost completely replaced with blackness.

"Shepard... Master, I can't... Can no longer... Please... Please, let me..."

"Meld with me." the order came immediately as if Master was telling her 'all you had to do was ask'.

The clash of thoughts, the buzzing of now shared feedback from their synapses left her stunned and breathless. Shepard held her forceful, dominating mind back, instead filling Liara up with all the sensations she had been feeling. Every shiver, every twitch of muscle, the singes of pleasure from every nerve ending. But most rewarding was the wave of appreciation, the gratefulness and approval Shepard was feeling right now. It overwhelmed the asari smashing, colliding with her own need, her own suppressed desire for release.

"_Now, let me show you something different, pet!" _

Shepard lowered herself on Liara's hand, then she moved back up and out. Her hips rocked forward and backwards forming figure eights as she began to grind on her good little slave's hand. Her pelvis angled and swiveled taking her in, pushing the fingers in all unexpected directions.

Liara gasped. She could not move, could not cry out. All she could do was relax her hand and try to follow Shepards lead, slide her fingers just as the redhead wanted, bend them, move them each time she could sense the slightest change in Shepard's thoughts, a difference in their connected synapses. Shepard continued to ride her hand kissing and nibbling at her throat and all Liara could do was move her fingers into the motions. Her Master let the asari have some free fun, but ultimately she was always the one in complete control.

"_Do you like it, dove? Sharing my sensations as I fuck myself on your wonderful fingers? Could you have imagined anything like that? Does it make you wanna come? Does it burn you to give me so much pleasure?"_

"_Yes! Goddess, yes!"_

The asari knew Shepard could feel her azure gushing, overflowing with juices, it had already seeped past her thighs further down her legs mixing with the running water. The emptiness, burning need to be filled rushed continuously from her swollen, twitching azure up through her stomach. The jealousy at not being touched, not being filled up fought against the profound joy and pride at the sensations Liara could feel reflected from Shepard.

No, that was not enough! Her need became electrifying hot poker cruelly stuffed in-between her thighs. She could not feel her clit any longer through all the quivering tension boiling up in her azure. All of it became one overstimulated mess. It was just like being bound and teased mercilessly by her Master, but this time she was the one providing the pleasure, she was an active participant or her slippery, strained fingers were. Her hand was inside Shepard, she could feel every muscle of her inner walls, yet the asari felt trapped in her Master's will, her irresistible compulsion, more intently then she felt it for a long time.

"_Oh, Goddess, Master, I can't..."_

"_Just a bit longer."_

Shepard drove her pelvis harder onto Liara's arm forcing her fingers to burrow deeper, reach for the furthest spot they could go. She darted forward covering the asari's mouth with a ferocious kiss. She tugged at the breathless lips, then went deeper engulfing them both in the crazed sensation.

When the lack of air threatened to make them both faint, a short thought burned like a flash of lighting through their intermingled minds.

"_Come with me."_

Liara's shared orgasm detonated like a supernova. It rolled down her spine in an avalanche of small explosions culminating with the rupture of a volcano in her clit. Her abdominal muscles clenched, then she felt her azure release another generous stream of wetness. The wave of pleasure from the redhead bounced through her mind, increasing in strengths every time it connected with her own. The asari was screaming silently and still could feel Shepard smiling at her with satisfaction. Uncontrollably Liara straightened her legs stretching upwards, curving her back under the electrical impulses that twisted her body in an all out attack on her nerve endings. The pleasure untwisted in one line, one tether. It ringed with tension stretched to the limit... and broke.

Liara's legs gave out. No longer supported by Shepard's body she slid down the wall and slumped against it. Her eyes were slightly bleary. Even through the afterglow of one fantastic orgasm she felt surprised when Shepard plopped on the floor beside her. Her Master never got tired out by sex! She usually liked to prolong their sessions, relish the different positions for hours, make her playthings loose count of mind-blowing orgasms. This impromptu reward the redhead had gifted her with felt in equal parts rushed and unexpected. Maybe Liara did manage to get Shepard to finally relax after all.

"Whooh... That was good." drawled the redhead.

"Understatement of the year." added Liara feeling the mood going back to the closeness they shared before this session began.

The redhead glanced at her with a grin, then reached her freckled arm around the asari's shoulders and tugged her closer. She in turn put her head to Shepard's chest letting the Spectre lower her chin on top of her crest. Nothing needed to be said. They sat under the flowing water for a minute longer.

"We're gonna catch a cold." murmured Liara contently. She was only partially joking.

Shepard laughed under her breath. It was a sincere laugh, not much else could have made her laugh that way during this terrible war.

"Maybe we will, but it would have been worth it."

**. . .**

They let the air from drying units in the walls rush over their bodies. Both ran the lengths of synthetic towels over the wet skin taking away only the top layer of water drops. Liara had gotten two white, warm robes out of the compartment next to the sink. Shepard got the robe on tying it loosely around her waist as opposed to Liara who tightened the way the robe wrapped her up.

Exiting the shower the redhead threw a glance to the bed. The raven haired thief was still there apparently deeply asleep. Shepard elected to stay in her work area plopping on the swivel chair in front of her desk. She stretched her legs out enjoying the afterglow of such a nice activity. It almost made the early morning more bearable and Shepard hated mornings with a passion.

Then something big and white landed on her head, fell over her face completely obscuring everything. It was a big fluffy white towel. She tried to get it off, but was met with resistance from hands on the top of her head, hands that were not her own. She groaned in annoyance. That prompted a snort from behind. Shepard sighed with exasperation.

"Fine, you can dry my hair." submitted the Butcher of Torfan.

Liara moved the towel to keep Shepard's face clear, gave her a content quiet sigh and got to the task at hand. The circular motions tugging through the rebellious red locks were accomplishing the drying only partially. Liara took her time caressing the strands with the fluffy fabric and her fingers.

"I don't get your fascination with human hair, Liara." supplied commentary the redhead.

"I don't quite know myself why do I find it so appealing. Probably because it seems so alien to me. None of the other Council races have anything like it."

"Don't sell yourself short. Your crest in not so bad either. Those folds and ridges, mmmm!"

"Flatterer."

They laughed quietly engrossed in the moment. Then Liara got to another point she had to make.

"So… How is Aria?"

"Amusing."

"Uh-huh."

"What? She is!" defended her position Shepard. "Her highness has committed a lot to this war. All in all she is a useful asset. Sometimes she is a source of good information, sometimes she's a colossal bitch, sometimes she just doesn't care at all. More then that, she's brutally honest about everything aside from her own scheming. It's refreshing to talk to her, and it's fun to share some drinks with her. I have grown to enjoy her entourage."

"You know that she always wants something from you in return, right?"

"You bet your blue ass, she does! You have _no idea_, honey! The trick she tried to pull last night..." Shepard were about to put her lips together to whistle, but she remembered the sleeping vixen and gave up on that. "Aria is playing the same game we are. Trying to keep what's hers and maybe adding something very special to it. Granted, it's akin to walking the sharp edge of the blade with her, but I like it. I like figuring out what she really wants, beats herding the politicians any day."

"Alright, I trust you know what you are doing. Speaking of herding the politicians, I have found something on the turian Primarch."

"Oh?" raised a brow Shepard.

Liara inspected her dry head from all sides: the scarlet hair mostly stayed flat, but still the locks intertwined at different angles. For some reason seemingly satisfied with that state of things the asari nodded and moved to the desk casually throwing the towel into the laundry receptacle on her way. She picked up a datapad she left there the previous evening. It took trained fingers no more than three seconds to unlock the network with a series of complex passwords then connect to her databanks two levels below and get the information.

"Primarch Victus has finalized new orders yesterday to one of the elite turian platoons. The orders were encrypted and classified, I managed to get a copy." she waved her blue hand dismissively. "Here's a summary: he sends the platoon to Tuchanka to disable a bomb that is buried there. They will be ready to depart in four days."

"A bomb?" frowned Shepard. "What kind of a bomb? How do they know about it anyway?"

"Oh, I had to dig deep for that information. I have found a memo in one of our Dalatrasses archives. It's almost completely redacted, but I was able to reconstruct it with EDI's help. The turians have planted a bomb in one of the most populated areas of Tuchanka at the end of the Krogan Rebellions, after the genophage took a hold of the population. It was a last resort weapon in case the genophage were to be cured and the krogan attempted to expand again. The intriguing thing is that it's still operational."

"So the turians have a doomsday device planted in the middle of Tuchanka's rubble?"

"Precisely." Liara smiled justifiably proud of her work.

"Are you sure the Primarch knows as much as we do?"

"No doubt. He send his son to defuse it. Lieutenant Victus is the commanding officer in charge of the Ninth platoon."

"Interesting." drawled the redhead. "We can definitely use that. If we keep the existence of the bomb a secret… That's the lever I needed to put pressure on Victus if the situation calls for it!"

Liara reacted with a somber look.

"Don't celebrate too early. According to the recent surveillance I have ordered of Tuchanka space after learning of the bomb and the possible appearance of the krogan at the summit, Cerberus might know about the bomb, too. We have intercepted several communications mentioning an operation on Tuchanka. I believe they are intending to activate the device or smuggle it off the planet. Either way Cerberus agents will be at the bomb site first, they will have more than enough time to set up defenses and ambush the turian platoon."

Shepard sat deep in thought for a while. Then she grinned.

"It's too juicy of a secret, too valuable of a planet to pass up on. We have to ensure the alliance between the turians and the krogan is solidified. Scorching their planet is not an option, however blown up Tuchanka already is. Neither is giving Cerberus a planetary killer. I guess it's time to use one of the ships we have acquired."

"Miranda?" asked the asari and Shepard nodded. "Could work. Judging by the amount of data and the Council Demilitarization Enforcement Mission security arrangements only one, maybe two Cerberus frigates could slip the net undetected. If they bring a cruiser into orbit it will be found in about two hours. Infiltration would give their recovery team as well as ours the best chance of success."

"It's decided then. I will send Miranda all the data right away. She can plan the operation herself, she's more experienced with Cerberus protocols than either of us anyway. I would have liked to wait a bit longer before revealing our Cerberus decoys, but… Removing or destroying the bomb and getting the evidence on the turian involvement is worth using one of our ships."

Shepard stood up brushing the back of her hand on Liara's cheek.

"Good job. I will mention to Miranda how she should be proud of you, too."

"Mistress." said Liara dreamily. The Spectre grinned at the soft glow that appeared in Liara's eyes.

"What about Miri?" called a cheerful voice to them from the other side of the glass wall filled with small spaceship models.

Kasumi was awake perched on her knees on the couch and peering through the glass wall. She put on black panties and one of Shepard's casual shirts, the black-blue sleeveless top reached her high-thigh, one of the shoulder-straps slipped off her round shoulder. The top was evidently too big for the slender thief to fit her properly. One of her hands was already holding a small glass filled with white milky liquid.

"Sexy." let out Shepard observationally witch earned her ostentatious giggles from the slender woman and appreciative hum of agreement from her blue-skinned girlfriend.

Shepard sniggered while walking down the three steppes with Liara. The asari swiftly took a sit next to the raven haired vixen discarding her datapad on the coffee table. Of course she did that not before locking it up again – not that is was absolutely necessary in Shepard's cabin, but the information broker had got in a habit of keeping up with security measures. Kass turned around and plopped down on the couch folding her legs in a lotus position. A warm blue hand immediately wrapped around one of the pale knees.

The redhead sat at her other desk in the exact copy of the swivel chair. She watched on as the pair shared a drink of the same white salarian concoction with a mixture of joy and annoyance. It did not go unnoticed.

"Don't even think about it." warned Liara. "You had your fill yesterday. No more intoxicants until your implants complete full diagnostic cycle."

"Aww, how could I ever survive that…" drawled Shepard prompting Kass to start giggling again.

The thief shifted to lean on Liara's shoulder. Their heads lowered connecting at the sides. Shepard smiled at the sight, she really did like it to see her important, treasured little pets happy. The glow in Liara's eyes intensified. Kasumi smiled and laughed more easily whenever the asari was around. They complemented each other like a perfectly matched set of precise instruments. It was rewarding just to see them, not to mention some other things Shepard had planned for later.

"So what is it about Miri you were talking about?" repeated the slender woman.

"We have an assignment for her. I will send her a message. Actually, I might as well do it right now. Liara, did you send a copy of your finding to my terminal?"

"Yes, Shepard."

"Good. You two can go play in Liara's room. Take the bottle if you want." she added with a teasing snigger.

Kass nodded picking up her Omni-tool and taking out several small packages out her neatly folded clothes on the couch. She pinned one of the flat black boxes on her shirt and one on Liara's robe. The pair left hand in hand knowing it was time to leave their Master alone. She was going to record a message for Miranda, they had no place in it unless specifically asked. As they gotten to the door the stronger, more forceful voice caught up to them.

"I decided that Kass should stay on the Normandy until the summit. We might need some discrete watch over our new allies. Furthermore, I have something very special planned for the next few days. Do not tire yourselves out before then. You don't want to disappoint me during our real reunion, do you?"

The couple exchanged excited looks and Kasumi answered for the both of them.

"We'll be good, Master, patient. We won't let you down."

They turned to leave, but were stopped again by the same voice.

"Liara, since Kass is here, you might wanna try out the gift I got you the other day. You'll need to get used to it. I _will _want to see it in action before long."

The asari felt her face turning deep shade of purple. She could not meet her lovers eyes deciding to glance in the direction of the cabin instead.

"I... I will try it today, Master." Liara was fiddling with the hems of her robe, an embarrassed, but also exited smile on her lips.

Kass raised a brow in a quizzical expression, but sensed that was supposed to be a surprise so she stayed silent. She activated her Omni-tool switching on and controlling the devices, then with a click and a characteristic shimmer they disappeared engulfed in the portable cloak.

The door closed after them leaving the Commander seating alone in front of her terminal. Shepard suddenly felt uneasy. Idle hands snatched a chess piece off the table and began fiddling with it. There was only one single, unique person in the galaxy that could make the legendary Spectre loose her cool, become an awkward uncertain mess.

Only one. But that person was so far away.

On the other side of the galaxy in fact.


End file.
